Journey to the Past
by R011ingThunder
Summary: Scattered memories like snow and a lost girl looking for a home. In a Fiore where magic is taboo, Erza is befriended by two strangers who offer to reunite her with her family. But nothing is what it seems as past and present collide. It's a Fairy Tail as Old as Time! Dystopian Anastasia AU, Jerza-style
1. Rosemary Orphanage

**It's Monday! Guess who's back? :)**

 **That's right, we're continuing with the Old as Time series with another adaptation. (If you didn't read the first one, no worries. They're completely separate universes.) This time, it's a retelling of the 20th Century Fox/Don Bluth animated film _Anastasia_. While not technically a fairy tale or a Disney film, it's an animated princess musical, so close enough. :) **

**I've reimagined this story so it takes place in an AU Fiore, except I've added some dystopian elements to our princess story. The result is a darker, more action-oriented version of the Anastasia story that maybe a little different than our favorite childhood film.** **  
**

 **Just as a heads up, I've taken some liberties with people's ages, so they may be different than you're used to. Hopefully that doesn't throw too many people for a loop.**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Erza woke to muffled sobbing. It was an unusual sound for anyone to awaken to, even for someone with a roommate.

Slipping out of bed, Erza padding across the room softly, the wooden floorboards cold under her bare feet. She sat down on her roommate's bed gently, trying not to scare the other girl. "Milli, what's the matter?" she asked.

"Oh, Erza… I can't believe it's happening so soon," Millianna sniffled into her pillow. "I don't want you to leave us!"

"Don't cry, Milli," said Erza, stroking the other girl's hair. "Fifteen's too old for tears."

"But you're leaving us tomorrow. First, Simon left, and now, you," said Millianna.

"You still have Wally and Sho," offered Erza.

"Wally's leaving us next year."

"It's just part of growing up," said Erza gently, rubbing the other girl's back. "You'll leave Rosemary too, someday, once you reach _your_ majority. Then we'll all start to call you Citizen too."

Becoming a Citizen was a major milestone in every person's life. Over time, the word no longer had anything to do with nationality, for all were Citizens, equal under Fiore's laws. These days, it was a rite of passage into adulthood. All children in Fiore earned the title of Citizen once they reached their seventeenth birthday. It meant that they were ready to take responsibility for themselves and do their duty to their State, each to the best of their ability.

"At least, Sho and I will be leaving together," said Millianna. "We were both born in October of the same year."

"See? That's the way to be positive!" encouraged Erza.

"Where are they sending you?" asked Millianna. She sat up, tugging her knees to her chest.

"I've gotten a job as a laborer at Manorwell Farm."

"A farm hand… That's exciting," said Millianna. "I guess they decided it would be a good fit, seeing how strong you are."

Erza gave a little shrug, her shoulders jutting upwards. "I suppose so."

"You don't sound excited…"

"I'm not sure that's what I want. I mean, I want to contribute and be a good Citizen of Fiore, now that I've reached my majority. But a farm hand?" asked Erza. Then she sighed, dropping her chin into her palm. "Still, who am I to question…? If the country thinks that I'd do Fiore the most good by helping with the harvest and feeding its people, then I should do it, shouldn't I?"

Millianna cocked her head to the side thoughtfully. "What would you rather do?" she asked.

"That's silly," said Erza. "You know we don't get to pick. What would the world be like if everyone just did what they wanted? We'd have _chaos_. And then where would we be?" She sat back down on her own bed.

If everyone got to choose what they wanted to do with their lives, there would be no one left to take care of some basic things that kept the world running. Butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers, as the old nursery rhyme went, were all noble occupations in their own way.

"But what if you could? What _would_ you do?" Millianna insisted. She was still young and prone to fantasy. So Erza indulged her, even though she knew it was all pretend.

"I think I'd rather be a baker," said Erza. The metal bed frame creaked as she flopped back, her arms crossed behind her head.

"A baker?" giggled Millianna.

"What's so funny? I want to make those cakes like they let us have on Independence Day every year. You know, the ones with all those layers and fluffy white icing—"

"Erza, you're making me hungry now!" Millianna laughed.

"—and strawberries on top!" said Erza, laughing too.

"Sho says he wants to join the Task Force when he gets older," said Millianna.

"That's noble of him," said Erza. She imagined herself wearing the grey uniform of an officer in Fiore's State Security Task Force. Somehow, the image appealed to her. Protecting others and getting to be part of something greater.

They were a country of modest means. Fiore's freedom was the most precious thing any of them possessed. Old Fiore had been a country run by a few powerful individuals.

The Purging had changed that in a single night. It gave them the ability to begin anew as a free State ruled by the common people. The Task Force cleansed the elitist attitudes from the land as they swept across the country. Slowly, the rest of the country rose to eliminate their oppressors, becoming the free State of Fiore.

"It is noble, but I'd rather work at an animal shelter," confided Millianna. "I adore kittens," she sighed wistfully. She had found a kitten last week, but the adults hadn't let her keep it. She had been heartbroken.

"You'll get a kitten of your own someday," said Erza.

"And you'll get to be a baker, just like you wanted," imagined Millianna.

"We'll all see each other again," said Erza.

"You and me and Sho," said Millianna.

"And Wally and Simon," added Erza.

"That would be perfect!" giggled Millianna. "Maybe growing up won't be so bad."

"Growing up is wonderful," said Erza. And even if it wasn't, there was nothing they could do about it, so there was no sense in Millianna worrying about it. "Now get some sleep," said Erza. "It's getting late."

As Erza shut her eyes, her mind was filled with thoughts of bakeries and farms and grey uniforms.

Becoming an officer on the Task Force would be interesting. To make a difference and know it. To help secure the country's freedom. Of course, it was a little fantastic. Only a select few could become Task Force officers. And there were plenty of other jobs that needed to be done.

She thought about her old friend Simon, who had left the orphanage two years prior. She wondered how he was doing. Simon had left abruptly, and sooner than they'd expected, but the adults had found him an apprenticeship under a blacksmith. It was a great opportunity, so he had left right away. Erza hoped he was happy.

Now that she was leaving Rosemary, maybe she'd see him again someday.

* * *

 **So what'd you guys think of this universe's Erza?**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, we meet our hero:** _"Perhaps. But perhaps, we should put the motion up for a vote," suggested Jellal mildly. "The rest of the New Council has had a chance to hear both sides of this argument. Let us see what their opinions are on this matter."_

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	2. The New Council

**It's Monday!**

 **It's nice to see some familiar faces from our _Silence_ days. Welcome back; I super missed you all. For anyone new to Team R011ingThunder, welcome!**

 ** **When Anastasia went to Broadway (Has anyone seen this? I hear it's awesome), the directors said that the only way to do justice to the story was to study history and really understand the people and the politics of the period. (There is a grain of historical truth in the movie.) So I did... and I also researched other eras in history with similar characteristics. I based this story on a collection characteristics that all these historical events had in common.****

 ** **The set-up I have here is pure fiction, with no intention of being a direct allegory to any particular country or historical event. It's not meant to be a political statement or a critique or anything. And I really don't want to debate politics with anyone on here. Please don't. :)****

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"And so, I urge you to give this situation serious consideration," said Jellal solemnly. "It is of utmost importance to the future of Fiore and all of her Citizens."

"Citizen Siegrain, are you suggesting that we bring back the tribunals?"

"That is _exactly_ what I'm suggesting," said Jellal, responding to the name that he'd made for himself. At first, it had been strange responding to a name that wasn't his own. It had felt… dishonest. But he was used to it now.

A displeased murmur passed across the other eight members of the New Council. They sat in a semi-circle so that each could see the others when they were debating. Since he had requested the floor, Jellal had taken his place at the podium in front of the room.

"I'll second the motion," called Ultear, raising her hand.

"Unthinkable!"

"Do you realize the amount of overhead that tribunals for _all_ the accused would result in?"

"Do you realize the amount of overhead that running our state prisons amounts to?" countered Jellal, leaning into the podium.

"The Citizens of Fiore are suffering enough as it is. We simply cannot afford to expend resources on criminals and traitors to the State. No, it simply cannot be done," huffed Citizen Belno, the Council Third.

" _Accused_ criminals," interrupted Ultear, a frown tugging at her lips.

"I see little difference," said Citizen Belno.

"You _say_ you care about the Citizens, yet you care little about whether they are unjustly imprisoned," Jellal pointed out.

"The needs of the many outweigh the concerns of the few. That is the way it has always been. We are all Citizens and equal under the law," recited Citizen Michello.

"Are we?" demanded Ultear, her voice sharp with anger.

Jellal silenced her with a look. "Yet the law doesn't seem to recognize the accused," argued Jellal. "Where is the equality in that, Citizen Michello?"

"Traitors to the State deserve no such consideration," said Citizen Michello.

"I agree. The accused have lost their rights as Citizens," said Citizen Belno with a nod.

"Siegrain, my boy, at your tender age you are still—" started Citizen Michello.

"That would be _Citizen_ Siegrain, if you please," interrupted Jellal mildly. "Despite my 'tender age,' as you call it, I have reached my majority, thank you."

"Be that as it may, your comments reveal a certain idealism and a disregard for practical matters. I find myself questioning your ability to serve on this council."

"The Citizens seemed to have no concerns with my abilities," said Jellal. "My election is evidence of that, I should hope."

"Your naiveté never ceases to amaze me," muttered Citizen Michello.

"Your paranoia never ceases to amaze _me_ ," retorted Ultear. "Oh, did I say that out loud? I _do_ beg your pardon," she deadpanned, hiding the hint of a smile.

"Well, I never!" the older councilman huffed, his chest heaving with annoyance."

"Citizen Ultear. Citizen Michello. That's enough," said Citizen Byro. As Council Chair, he presided over all of the New Council's proceedings.

" _Citizen_ Siegrain. And Citizen Ultear. Passionate though your words may be, I cannot help but call the practicality of your suggestions into question," said Citizen Belno. "You're failing to consider the matter holistically, and with regard to the overarching consequences of your suggestions."

"Perhaps. But perhaps, we should put the motion up for a vote," suggested Jellal mildly. "The rest of the New Council has had a chance to hear both sides of this argument. Let us see what their opinions are on this matter," he said, nodding at the Council Chair.

"Thank you, Citizen Siegrain," said Citizen Byro. "Does anyone have any further questions for the Council Fourth? If no one has any, we'll proceed with a vote."

"Citizen Chairman, I'd like to request a recess," one of the other councilmen piped up. "I'd like some time to consider Citizen Siegrain's proposal."

"I second the motion," said Citizen Belno, raising her hand.

Ultear scoffed, crossing her arms disdainfully.

The Council Chair nodded. "We'll put the matter up for a vote after lunch. We'll reconvene in an hour. Citizen Siegrain, you may step down."

Jellal inclined his head. "Very good, Citizen Chairman. Thank you."

Citizen Byro rapped his gavel to dismiss the New Council for lunch. Jellal waited until the others had filed out of the room before stepping away from the podium. He joined Ultear at the door of the Council Chamber.

"Well, that was a productive session," said Jellal falling into step with her. "I think we've got this one in the bag, don't you?" he asked.

" _I_ think they're ignorant fools," spat Ultear "Is this New Council trying to condemn this country?!" Her voice echoed in the empty hallway.

The high ceilings and marble floors gave the corridor interesting acoustic properties. That was one of the reasons why Jellal had waited until the others had gone before leaving the Council Chamber.

"Careful, Tear," said Jellal mildly. "That smites of sedition. You wouldn't want people to hear you talking that way. Why don't you wait until we're outside of City Hall before you start spouting your propaganda," he said, amused.

"So, you'd rather have me carry on in public?" she asked, quirking a sardonic brow.

"No, I'd rather have you not carry on at all, but I'd imagine that it's a lost cause," commented Jellal.

Ultear pursed her lips but remained quiet until they were out of the heavy double doors of the New Council's headquarters.

Icy wind accosted them as soon as they stepped outside. Jellal tightened his cloak around himself. Brago was always cold, but doubly so at this time of year.

"I swear, Sieg! They are afraid of anything they don't understand. If they had their way, we'd go straight back to the dark ages," she ranted.

Ultear was right in her own way. Ever since the New Council had stomped out magic in Fiore, things had started going backwards.

"Don't forget how long we've worked for our seats," he reminded her, his breath forming clouds that hung in the frigid air. "You can't change the world if you don't play the game."

* * *

 **Hmm... Council Jellal and Council Ultear. Interesting... (Actually, I found them both more interesting in earlier arcs than in later ones.)**

 **More trivia and fun facts. When I first worked on the concept for this fic, I was actually thinking of doing a gender-bent version and setting it in Edolas. Mystogan would be the lost prince. Erza Knightwalker would be the Dmitri to Mystogan's Anastasia. Pantherlilly would be Grandmama. But then I re-watched the movie for research. I really couldn't see Erza (Knightwalker or Scarlet) pulling off the conniving that makes Dmitri work. Plus, that opening sequence about Anya's desire to find her home and her family... there was no way that wasn't Erza Scarlet. So I ditched the Edolas idea and re-cast the characters. I kept the idea of a world without magic, though. We're going to see the consequences of that creative direction throughout.**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, Erza's journey begins:** _And so, Erza ceased to be a part of Rosemary Orphanage. This was the end of one chapter of her life and the start of another._

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	3. Citizen Erza

**It's Monday! And we're back with an Erza-centric chapter. Enjoy!  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Today was the day. The day she'd leave Rosemary.

Erza woke early, taking one last look at the modest room she and Millianna had shared. A tug of sorrow filled her chest with an aching heaviness.

Though it was only an orphanage, one of many state-run institutions across Fiore, Erza couldn't help but consider it her home. She had fond memories of growing up with the other children. How she'd miss them!

Erza scrubbed her face, combed her hair, and put on her coat. She had nothing else worth taking. She had already sorted through her possessions, giving them away to her friends as mementos. There had been a little bell on a ribbon that she had given to Millianna and her tattered old scarf had gone to Wally. The only thing she regretted leaving behind was her old practice sword.

Erza gave her trusty companion a wistful glance, letting her fingers run down the battered wooden blade and the handle that had been rubbed smooth over many years with many owners. It was just a play sword, but it was straight and had such fine balance for only being made of wood.

And she had won many a battle with it. She remembered walloping four of the boys with it last fall. It had earned her quite the reputation among the other children at the orphanage.

"I wish you were coming with me, old friend," she said aloud, though she felt a little silly talking to a child's toy.

She picked up the sword for old time's sake, the handle familiar in her grasp. She brought it down in a crisp arc, the wood giving a satisfying whistle as it sliced through the air. Erza pushed the nostalgia away, setting the sword down. Now that she was leaving Rosemary, she had no need for such toys, so she had promised it to Sho. She was sure that he would treasure it like she had until he passed it on to the next lucky boy when he finally left Rosemary.

When she came downstairs, her friends were waiting for her at the door.

"Erza!" shouted Millianna, flinging her arms around Erza's neck in a hug.

Erza returned the hug just as fiercely. "Milli, Sho," mumbled Erza. Then she looked around. "Where's Wally?"

"He doesn't like goodbyes," said Sho. "Remember how he cried when Simon left? Guess what he's doing right now?"

"Oh, poor Wally," said Millianna.

Sho snorted. "Not like you weren't just doing the same thing just now," he said.

"I was not," said Millianna hotly.

"Yeah, right! You were bawling your eyes out. I just saw you!"

"Be quiet, Sho."

Erza chuckled to herself. She'd miss them.

"Take care of yourself," said Sho. He grinned at her.

"And stay out of trouble!" added Millianna, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

"I will," called Erza. "I'm heading out now," she added unnecessarily as she stepped through the front door, starting down the path to the main road.

"Bye, Erza," shouted Millianna.

"It's _Citizen_ Erza," hissed Sho. "She's seventeen now!"

"Oops! Goodbye, Citizen Erza!" giggled Millianna.

"And good luck, Citizen!" called Sho, pressing his fist to his chest in the customary salute of the free State of Fiore.

Erza waved cheerfully at her friends. "Bye, Sho! Bye, Milli!"

"Until we meet again! That's a promise!" shouted Millianna.

And so, Erza ceased to be a part of Rosemary Orphanage. This was the end of one chapter of her life and the start of another.

* * *

Erza wandered down the main road, the crisp air of Brago nipping at her cheeks. She wondered if it would be this cold at Manorwell Farm.

Manorwell Farm. The idea made Erza crinkle her nose. She didn't want to work there. It made Erza feel a little bit guilty, like she was shirking her responsibilities. But she had never been the kind of girl who could be content sitting quietly. She preferred to be out and about, climbing trees or roughhousing with the boys.

What would she even do there? Milk cows? Harvest vegetables, maybe? She had a hard time imagining herself working out in the fields. She didn't think she belonged there. Of course, Erza wasn't sure where she belonged anymore. Without Rosemary Orphanage, Erza felt a little lost.

As Erza approached the crossroads, she saw a woman in a double-breasted coat. Her dark hair was pulled back in a severe bun. She was young, probably not much older than Erza.

"Good day, Citizen," the woman said, pressing a fist to her chest in a crisp motion.

Erza returned the salute proudly, the motion empowering. "Citizen," she greeted, feeling very much like an adult.

"Are you traveling alone?" the woman asked.

"That's right," said Erza.

"You know it's dangerous here by yourself," the woman said, frowning. "You need to be more careful. My brother arrested a trio of dangerous criminals today."

"Wizards?" asked Erza, a stir of trepidation passing through her.

The woman nodded. "Troublesome, as always. Where are you headed?"

"Manorwell Farm. I just got a job there," said Erza.

"Do you have papers?" asked the woman.

"Well, no… I suppose not," said Erza. "What do I need papers for?"

"To leave city limits, of course," the woman said.

"If you don't mind me asking, who are you exactly?" asked Erza, her eyes narrowing. She wasn't sure what she had done to make this stranger interrogate her.

The woman sighed. "I'm Kagura. I'm an officer in the State Security Task Force," she said.

Erza took a step backwards. "You're on the Task Force?" asked Erza, her eyes widening in awe. "I apologize! I didn't recognize you without your uniform, Citizen Officer."

"It's no matter. I suppose it wasn't fair for me to question you like that when I'm off duty. I just forget sometimes."

"You must take our security very seriously," said Erza, her tone tinged with admiration. Task Force Officers were the best of the best, a very elite group to belong to.

"It's my duty," said the officer.

"How did you get to become a Task Force officer?" asked Erza.

"Why do you ask?"

"I know I was supposed to work as a farmhand, but…" Erza trailed off, her face flushed with embarrassment.

The officer surveyed Erza with narrow eyes, making her squirm. Finally, she said, "You can join if another officer recommends you. You'd have to take an entrance exam, but it's a simple matter at that point. Getting the recommendation is the hard part. Why? Did you want to join?"

"You're asking me?" asked Erza.

"Aren't I?" asked the officer sternly.

Erza blinked, at a loss for words. For the first time in her life, she had a choice and she was going to take it!

"Well?" the officer asked, her tone tinged with impatience.

Erza nodded. Getting to serve the State by working on the Task Force? Now, that sounded like a job she'd enjoy. Actually, it sounded like more than a job. It was a noble calling. A place to belong!

"Good. I knew I liked you," said the officer, her lips turning up in a smile. "But you'll still need papers," she reminded her. "After that, you can go to the Task Force's HQ and give them my name. Tell them that Kagura asked you to report for the Officer's Exam."

"An exam?" asked Erza. She wasn't sure she was prepared for that.

"More of a formality at that point," explained Citizen Kagura

"Right. I can do that," said Erza. "How do I get papers?"

"You'll want to head straight for Brago City Hall. Do you know where that is?"

"I'm sure I'll manage," said Erza.

"I can escort you if you'd like," said Citizen Kagura.

"That won't be necessary. I've troubled you enough. Thank you, Citizen Officer."

"Just Kagura is fine."

"Thank you, Kagura!"

"I'm looking forward to seeing you on the Task Force," she called.

* * *

 **Ahh! Sho x Milliana! (Okay, you don't have to ship them if you don't want to. The part up there could totally be interpreted as platonic. But seeing as I have my shipping goggles on all the time... _Ahh! Sho x Milliana!_ )**

 **Does Erza feel a little more innocent here than she does in canon?** ** **In the earlier ToH flashbacks, Erza seems pretty innocent there too, so I was trying to channel that aspect of her personality.**** **I figure if she grew up relatively safe, in an orphanage, with her friends, Erza would be more like child-Erza (the one who asked Grandpa Rob if learning magic meant being able to fly on a broomstick) than FT-canon-Erza, who was traumatized by the rebellion in the Tower and losing Jellal to it (and showed up at the guild sullen and unsociable and hid behind her armor and a serious demenor when growing up).  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_ , we rejoin Jellal and Ultear and get a little bit more on the lost girl** **:** _"People are saying that the daughter of one of the greatest guild masters in Old Fiore's history escaped the Purging. She's still alive," said Ultear excitedly._

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	4. Rumors from the Resistance

**It's Monday! Happy holidays and merry Christmas to all! This week's chapter gives us a little more insight into Jellal and Ultear's part in this story. We also get a glimpse of the events that make this universe different from FT canon.  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Snow crunched underfoot as they wove through the crowded streets. Brago was always a busy place around lunch hour.

The capital of Fiore was a large town, but not extravagant. It bore a stark contrast to the finery of City Hall. For all the talk of equality and eliminating elitism, those who ran the New Council certainly didn't seem to put their ideals into practice. Yet, the Citizens of Fiore seemed content to continuing electing them.

Of course, Jellal couldn't fault them. If they weren't so easily swayed, he and Ultear would never have become members of the New Council either.

"Citizen Councilman!" one of the townspeople greeted him.

Jellal gave the man a friendly wave before greeting him with the salute, thumping his fist over his heart. "Good afternoon, Citizen!" he called.

"I swear, Sieg! If I didn't know better, I'd think you were enjoying this," muttered Ultear.

"What? Don't be silly, Ultear."

"You _like_ the attention!" accused Ultear.

"Hello, Citizen Siegrain," called a woman. "Hello, Citizen Ultear."

"Good to see you!" Jellal smiled back.

This was worth the Council's nonsense and all the political games. It wasn't much, but by connecting with the men and women of the town, he felt like he was helping to make things better for them. How nice it was to be wanted!

"Smile, Ultear!" he hissed.

Ultear forced a smile, waving back. "Good afternoon, Citizen," she said cheerfully.

"See, the people love us," said Jellal.

Ultear scoffed, her breath forming clouds. "Is that all you care about?"

"Ultear, we're here to make a difference," said Jellal. "You know that."

Before Ultear could respond, they were interrupted by a young man, wearing the grey uniform of an officer in the State Security Task Force.

Simon Mikazuchi was the youngest officer on the force and one of its rising stars. His service to the State was unmatched. He held the record for having apprehended the most dangerous criminals.

"Citizen Councilman and Citizen Councilwoman," said the Simon politely, making a show of thumping his fist over his heart. With as well as they all knew each other, Simon could well have dropped the formalities, but he insisted on the pretense.

"Good day, Citizen Officer," said Jellal, parroting the other man's gesture.

Ultear did the same, though with far less enthusiasm.

"I hear you made another arrest this afternoon, old friend," said Jellal politely.

"Three more dangerous criminals off the streets," declared Simon.

"Is that so?" asked Jellal.

Simon nodded, his features etched with concern. "They're getting younger and younger," he said, frowning. "I caught a boy using speed magic. He was playing out in the street with two other little urchins. Almost caused a traffic accident. I wasn't sure if his friends were wizards as well, but I took all three of them into custody," he added.

"You must be _so_ proud," said Ultear, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well done," said Jellal. "Keep up the good work, Citizen Officer. You serve Fiore well."

"Each to the best of his ability," quoted Simon, pleased with the compliment. "And I do try my best. Good day to you both," he said before continuing on his way.

Ultear was able to contain herself until Simon was out of earshot. Then she shook her head in disgust. "They're arresting children now?" said Ultear.

"Hush, Ultear," said Jellal. "I don't like it any more than you do."

"You didn't have to encourage him," she complained.

"And what would you have me do? We'd be arrested just as quickly if we voiced dissent. You know that," said Jellal. "The best we can do is work the system from within and try to push for whatever changes we can."

"Things would be different if we could bring magic back," muttered Ultear. Then she stopped, tilting her head curiously. "Actually… that's not a bad idea."

"You're out of your mind," said Jellal.

He bought two hot sandwiches from one of the street vendors, accepting the paper bag in exchange for his coin. As members of the New Council, they could have afforded better, but they only had an hour before they had to head back for the vote.

"Do you want to eat in the park?" he asked Ultear.

Jellal didn't wait for a response. Ultear was in one of her revolutionary moods, and this was not the sort of talk to be had in the crowded city square. He reached into the paper bag, the warmth from the toasted sandwiches thawing his numb fingers. A perfect choice for a wintery day.

Jellal waited until they had separated from the crowd before he spoke. "It's been more than a decade since they outlawed the practice of Magic," said Jellal. "Nothing's going to change, Ultear."

"I disagree," said Ultear, accepting the sandwich he passed her.

"Disagree all you like. The New Council is firm in their position."

"Maybe it's time for a _newer_ Council," suggested Ultear.

Jellal choked on his sandwich. "What?" he coughed, pounding himself in the chest. He swallowed hard, forcing down the dry lump of bread that had caught in his throat. "A coup," hissed Jellal, lowering his voice to a whisper. One could never be too careful these days. " _That's_ what you're proposing? I always knew you were insane, Tear. Now I'm certain."

"That's what you think, but I have information that might change your mind," said Ultear folding her hands in her lap primly.

"Do tell," sighed Jellal, almost afraid of what nonsense his companion would start spouting.

"There is a rumor that one of the guilds is trying to rise again."

"The guilds," repeated Jellal. "You mean the magical guilds that were crushed during the Purging?" he asked matter-of-factly.

The Purging. That was what they called the night the Guild Masters' Conference was attacked. All of the strongest wizards in Fiore had gathered together in Brago. And that night, nearly all of them were killed in one brutal massacre.

Though he was just a child, Jellal had been one of the few survivors of that night. Never would he forget the way the flames rose from the rubble as his fellow wizards were attacked. Some nights their screams still echoed through his dreams, though he tried his best to put it out of his mind.

From the ashes of that horrifying night rose the New Council. With it came a new era, one of persecution for those cursed with a magical lineage. The practice of magic was outlawed, those who were born into magical families found their lives in danger. Jellal had concealed his gifts, hiding in plain sight by becoming Siegrain and getting elected to the New Council.

That's where he found Ultear. Or more correctly, she'd found him. One of her powers was to sense others with magical abilities, so she'd picked him out right away. She was an odd girl, but their shared secret and common goals had made them fast friends.

"They weren't crushed, exactly," said Ultear, picking at her food. "You know that."

There were whisperings of a few surviving guild wizards that had banded together to fight against the persecution of the New Council. But that was little more than a rumor. No matter how many stray wizards banded together, the Resistance would never grow beyond a few scattered pockets of wizards.

"I'll believe it when I see it," said Jellal. "Besides, why would things suddenly change?"

"People are saying that the daughter of one of the greatest guild masters in Old Fiore's history escaped the Purging. She's still alive," said Ultear excitedly. "Her name's Eira. And the guilds are rallying around the idea of her return."

"And where are you hearing this from?" asked Jellal, his eyes narrowing.

"I have sources in the Resistance," Ultear said. Her lips curved into a secretive smirk. "They say the movement is getting stronger with each passing day. Wizards from all over Fiore are gathering in Magnolia. Eira's brothers have set up their base there as they work to find her," said Ultear.

"Really, Ultear! You're asking unsavory criminals about other unsavory criminals and you're prepared to take it as gospel?" Jellal let out a disbelieving sigh. "Sometimes, I worry about you and your severe lack of judgement."

"Listen to me, Sieg! This is the chance we've been waiting for!" exclaimed Ultear, her eyes bright. "There are some in the Resistance who believe that Eira's return marks a turning of the tide. She's supposed to join her brothers and take up the mantle of rebellion. She'll lead the Resistance to victory."

"I don't see what that has to do with us."

"If the Resistance succeeds…" said Ultear slowly, waiting for him to fill in the blanks.

"I don't see what that has to do with us," repeated Jellal.

"Think about it. If we could find this girl, bring her back to Magnolia, she could help the Resistance overthrow the New Council. Then we'd bring magic back! Put things back to the way they were before the Purging!"

Jellal shook his head, standing up and turning away from her. He crunched the empty paper bag in his fist. "I think it's time for us to head back."

"Look around, Sieg," called Ultear. "Is this world really what you imagined? Are you really so eager to debate nonsense policies with bull-headed, old geezers?"

"I fail to see what that has to do with me. Outlaws make very poor candidates."

Ultear inclined her head, as if formulating a new argument. "The Citizens love you for your platform, yes. But imagine how much _more_ they would love you if you were to open their eyes to how broken their precious system is. What if you were the one to spearhead the transition to a better system, one that the people deserve? You'd be a hero in their eyes."

Jellal stopped in his tracks. "A hero?" he repeated. Jellal couldn't deny that the idea sounded appealing.

"We could bring about the perfect world that we both dreamed of! One that recognizes you as its savior."

"Is that even possible…?" asked Jellal softly. He could already imagine it, walking down the street with statues of him in every courtyard, his name spoken with reverence as national hero.

"All we have to do is find Eira and bring her back to her brothers."

"And what do you suggest we do once we deliver Eira to the Resistance?" he asked. "Even with her joining their ranks, there is no guarantee they'll succeed."

"We return to our homes, the Citizens none the wiser. If the Resistance fails, word of our involvement dies with them," said Ultear.

It sounded simple enough.

"Just one question. What happens if we get caught?" asked Jellal.

"Ever vigilant, I see," said Ultear.

"Comes with the position," said Jellal.

"If we get caught?" mused Ultear. "We may lose our hope of becoming national heroes but I'm sure the citizens will revere the man who took down the terrorists that make up the Resistance, provided that your silver tongue doesn't fail you, Sieg."

"Oh, it hasn't failed me yet," he assured her. Jellal paused again, going over every step of the plan. "You make it sound win-win," he said.

"That's because it is. So?" asked Ultear. "What do you say, Sieg?"

"We really do have to get back. We can discuss this further after the meeting," said Jellal. "I hope your spell-work isn't rusty," he added.

Ultear smirked. "Of course not."

* * *

 **Ouch.  
**

 **Before anyone gets too upset at me about making Jellal cold and self-serving, keep in mind that in the animated Anastasia, Dmitri was a conman. I think the story wouldn't have worked as well if he hadn't been a liar and a cheat. Hence, this particular interpretation of Jellal at the start of the story. I don't think it's a bad thing... it means that we've got no place to go but up.  
**

 **Now, if Jellal's Dimitri, that makes Ultear his Vlad. Except I don't think Vlad had much personality in the movie; I really remember nothing about him... I rewatched the movie at least twice while I was working on this story, and I _still_ remember nothing. On the other hand, Ultear's an important character and she's going to get a lot of development.**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, we take a trip down Memory Lane with Jellal and see what really happened that fateful night:** _Jellal remembered the first time he saw her. Back when the world was still full of color and magic and life._

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	5. The Purging

**It's Monday! And it's New Year's Eve. I (along with the rest of the R011ingThunder team) want to thank you guys for making 2018 a great year! It's been a blast.  
**

 **This week, we're taking a more literal journey to the past with a flashback from Jellal. Brace yourselves.  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Jellal remembered the first time he saw her. Back when the world was still full of color and magic and life.

Jellal could never be sure if it was the stress of the night or the blow to the head that he would later receive. When he thought back on that moment, he could never really be sure exactly what she looked like. It was always a bit of a blur. Actually, the whole night ended up being a bit of a blur.

Sometimes, if he tried hard, he'd remember bits and pieces. Her hand. The fringe of her collar. A dainty nose. Or at least, that's what he thought.

The more he tried to remember, the less sure he was. But he was sure of one thing. The moment he laid eyes on her was one he'd never forget.

There she was, on the far side of the room. She was younger than he was, maybe six or seven. Her chubby legs swinging back and forth as the adults talked. Jellal craned his neck to get a better look through the open door. She must have been the daughter of one of the guild masters or maybe she was one of the apprentices.

Jellal wasn't sure. He wasn't privy to the particulars of this meeting. He was just security detail. Well, technically, he was only an apprentice guard. At fourteen, he was the youngest on the team. Protecting the Guild Masters' Conference while it was being held in Brago was his first real assignment.

"What're you looking at?"

Jellal jumped, embarrassed at having been caught gawking. "Oh, hey, Lahar." He straightened his uniform and clasped his hands behind his back.

"What are you doing away from your post?" asked Lahar. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"I wanted to grab a peek at the conference."

"Take my advice," said Lahar. "That's a world that you and I will never be a part of."

"Maybe _you_ won't…" said Jellal.

Lahar was pessimistic, but Jellal certainly wasn't. Someday he'd make something of himself. He'd be in a council room just like this one, having important meetings and changing the world.

It wasn't that crazy, was it?

"Let him dream," said Doranbolt.

"Nothing'll come of it," said Lahar.

"Life's too short to worry about that," said Doranbolt. "It's harmless. Ah, young love." He gave Jellal a pat on the head, like he was some sort of little kid.

"Ew, I don't think so!" said Jellal, swatting the older man's hand away.

"So, you _were_ looking at that girl," said Doranbolt.

"I—what? No! I was no such thing! You realize how creepy you're being? She's like half my age!" protested Jellal.

"For now," said Doranbolt.

"She's just a little kid," said Jellal.

And so are you, runt," said Doranbolt.

"I'm fourteen!" protested Jellal.

"So, a still kid."

"Don't tease him, Mest," said Lahar. "He's an apprentice guard. One who needs to get back to his post," he added sternly.

"Oh, come on," said Jellal.

"Fair enough," said Doranbolt. "Back to work."

With a sigh, Jellal turned back to the glittering room, hoping for one final glimpse at the girl. And he was rewarded. For an instant, they locked eyes. She seemed unhappy and maybe a little bit hesitant.

Jellal knew that they had nothing in common, but he couldn't help but feel a connection. He didn't even know her name. It wouldn't be until years later that he would know of the lost little girl named Eira.

* * *

"Jellal," said Lahar. "Take five."

"Really?" said Jellal. It seemed strange that Lahar would let him take his break early. Doranbolt, maybe, but never Lahar.

Doranbolt nodded. "And get us some drinks from the kitchen while you're at it, runt."

Oh, so that's why they were letting him off early. The pieces were starting to come together now…

"Don't dawdle," said Lahar. "We need you back at your post before too long."

"Yeah, yeah," said Jellal.

"Give it a rest, Lahar," said Doranbolt. "He's already playing errand boy."

"That was _your_ idea," said Lahar with a haughty sniff.

Doranbolt had the good grace to look sheepish, ducking his head awkwardly as his shoulders raised in a half-shrug.

"And another thing—" started Lahar.

Leaving the others to bicker, Jellal slipped down the hall. If the guys wanted drinks, he'd get them drinks.

Despite their teasing, Doranbolt and Lahar weren't bad. Jellal was pretty lucky that he had gotten assigned to their squad. Sure, they'd make him their lackey from time to time. That was just something he put up with as the squad's newbie.

He was only half-way to the kitchen when he heard the shouting. It was coming from outside. Jellal held his breath, straining his ears. Something—or rather, someone—was causing a commotion out there.

Jellal's fingers tightened around the emergency signal flare at his hip. Pressing himself against the wall, he crept closer to the window.

There was more than one voice. But it didn't sound like arguing. No, it was more of a… chant? Or a cheer. But much angrier.

The window smashed forward, shattering.

Pain lanced across the left side of his face.

His vision tunneled.

Then blackness.

* * *

What happened? The world was fuzzy and grey.

Jellal's head throbbed. It felt like someone had smacked him over the head with a boulder. Then again, maybe that wasn't too far from the truth.

He blinked once, twice, wincing at burn in the side of his face. Jellal brought his hand up, probing at his cheek. His fingertips were met with hot blood and crushed glass. He picked some of the larger shards out of the gash before wiping his sticky hands on his pants.

The bitter smell of smoke reached his nose.

Heaving himself to his feet, Jellal staggered down the hall. Why did everything look so strange? His vision was fine, mostly. The glass didn't seem to have damaged his sight. Except the colors seemed to have been sucked out of everything. Or maybe that was just the smoke?

He didn't have time to think about it. As he returned to his post, a noise in the distance caught his attention. Gunfire. There was no mistaking it.

Jellal broke into a run.

"Doranbolt? Lahar? Doranbolt!"

Jellal didn't want to believe it, but he knew the truth. They'd been attacked.

He vaulted the rubble in the corridor and rounded the corner. The once-grand City Hall was a ruin. Glass littered the hallway and the walls were battered where—whoever this was—trampled through.

When he reached the door of the conference room, he saw them. Doranbolt and Lahar. Lahar's eyes, wide with terror, were rolled back into his skull and Doranbolt's mouth was open in a silent scream. Blood pooled beneath them.

Jellal fell to his knees with a cry. He couldn't believe it.

They were dead. Killed in the line of duty.

He'd come too late.

He'd abandoned them. He hadn't been there to help. If he'd just been there, then maybe this wouldn't have happened. He could have warned them. He could have… _something_!

Swallowing back bile and self-loathing, Jellal heaved out a breath. He couldn't waste time on this. He was an apprentice guard and he had a job to do.

It was up to him now.

Jellal tried to keep from looking at the sightless eyes of his comrades. Steeling himself, he reached out, plucking the emergency flares from their belts and adding them to his own. They wouldn't need to call for help now, but he'd need all the help he could get.

This was his fault. He couldn't save them.

He'd let them die.

He'd killed them.

He couldn't do this. He needed to call for help. He had to send out the distress signal.

But Jellal's eyes lingered on the doorway of the conference room, shadowy figures moving around in the smoke. There were still people in there!

The little girl from earlier. Was she in there? What about the others? How many people were still alive?

But the flare was the priority. If he could bring in reinforcements, he could save more lives.

But that would mean walking away from people who needed help now. Wasn't it his job to protect the wizards at the conference? Maybe the flare could wait. Maybe if he just saved one more person, it would make up for his mistake.

Jellal's mind kept drifting back to the little girl.

Jellal ignored the nagging in his stomach. He rushed into the conference room, pulling his shirt up over his nose and mouth to keep from choking on the smoke.

But that was a decision that Jellal would come to regret.

* * *

Later that night, Jellal finally accomplished his task. He had gotten a little side tracked, but he was finally ready to launch the flares.

He needed to go someplace high. Someplace where everyone would be able to see.

Jellal jogged up the stairs of the tower, panting by the time he reached the top. Across the room, there was an open window.

Jellal hurled the rockets into the blaze. One. Two. And three.

He barely registered the shrill whistle as each of the flares shot past him.

Dizzy with relief, Jellal sank to his knees.

He did it. Now help would come.

But it never did. The flames burned on in Brago City Hall. That night would become known as the Purging.

More than eight hundred people died that night, among them were some of the greatest wizards in Fiore. And thousands of others would follow in the years to come.

Jellal would always wonder if that was his fault.

* * *

 **Yes, yes, I know his name isn't Mest Doranbolt. But I thought Doranbolt was cooler than Gryder, and I also thought he needed a first name.  
**

 **Also... I know the break between the last two sections feels a bit abrupt. You might be wondering what actually happened there. This particular story is told from multiple perspectives and we'll get flashbacks of the Purging from different characters' PoVs. (Sort of like the movie _Hoodwinked,_ where you have to piece together what really happened.) That part is best told by someone else, so we're going to save that bit for later.**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, we get back to the main story so Jellal and Erza can meet in the present:** _Erza wasn't sure how, but she knew that he was someone that she could trust._

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	6. Reunion

**It's Monday! This is the chapter that a lot of people have been waiting for. Really excited!~  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Brago City Hall was once a tall building with towering turrets. Erza knew this, because she had seen pictures of it in her history classes. But the building she gazed up at that afternoon looked very different.

After the Purging, it had been rebuilt to reflect the simpler values of the New Council, leaving it only a shadow of its former glory. Despite how well kept it was, City Hall seemed unforgiving and oppressive. She couldn't imagine working in a place like this.

As she came up the steps, she felt the tug of something familiar, like a memory or a feeling. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it felt like she had been here before. But that wasn't possible.

Erza had never been in Brago before. Her first memory was of a snowy night, wandering the outskirts of Rosemary. A good Samaritan had taken her to Rosemary Orphanage, where they had fed her and clothed her and raised her to be a good Citizen, so she could do her part to serve the State. Erza supposed she was lucky.

As the Citizen Officer had reminded her, Brago was not a safe place for a young woman on her own. Even after the wizards had been purged, there were still those who wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of a child, or even a naïve young person, and rob them of their wealth or free will.

Erza knew it was irrational, but she felt uneasy. There was something unpleasant about this place, a heaviness in the air that made her tremble.

But she was just overreacting. Erza pushed the nagging feeling aside. She didn't have to look. All she had to do was get in and get her documents. Then she could leave.

Taking a deep breath, she marched up the crumbling steps, her eyes on her feet. Erza collided with something sturdy, sending her stumbling.

Steady hands caught her by the shoulders, saving her from a spill down the stairs.

"Oh, excuse me! I'm terribly sorry," blurted Erza. She looked up, mortified to find that she'd barreled into a tall man in a dark cloak. "Pardon me, Citizen," she said, clapping her fist to her chest in a hasty salute.

He exchanged glances with his companion, a slim woman with dark hair and a somber expression.

"What are the odds?" she commented.

"Ultear, hush," the man said. Then he turned back to Erza. "I didn't hurt you, I hope," he said.

"No, I'm fine. This place is just a little overwhelming," Erza said, her brows scrunching apologetically.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Erza."

"Do you have a last name, Citizen Erza?"

Erza shook her head. "It's just been Erza for as long as I can remember, Citizen."

"My name is Jellal. My companion, here, is—"

"Just Ultear," she interrupted. "You're amongst friends, so you can drop the Citizen. What brings you to City Hall?"

"I'm just here for some paperwork," Erza explained. "Officer Kagura sent me. I want to join the Task Force, but they won't take me unless I have proof of my identity."

Ultear's expression soured, but Jellal smiled warmly.

"So, you want to join the Task Force?" he asked. "How very noble."

Erza nodded. "It's the least that I could do for a State that has done so much for me," said Erza. "See, I was an orphan, and but then I was taken in to one of the state-run orphanages. Now that I've become a Citizen, it's my turn to do my part for Fiore."

It was a lot to tell a stranger, but there was something about this man… Erza wasn't sure how, but she knew that he was someone that she could trust.

"How much do you know about this State, this Fiore that you claim to love so much?" asked Ultear.

"What do you mean?" asked Erza, frowning. "They clothed me and sheltered me. You could even say that they raised me. For an orphan like me, they were better than parents. What else is there to know?"

"I was only joking," said Ultear quickly.

" _Ultear_ , stop teasing her," said Jellal, shooting his companion a warning look. "You'll have to forgive her, Erza. Tear's sense of humor can be a little bit questionable at times."

"A word, Sieg?" asked Ultear.

"Ah, excuse us for a moment," he told Erza before following Ultear aside.

* * *

Jellal turned away from Erza, following Ultear to the top of the stairs.

"What is it?" he asked.

"What are you planning?" whispered Ultear.

"We don't have to bring them Eira. All we have to do is bring them something that inspires them to rise up. We'll have our coup either way."

Ultear nodded. "I suppose that makes sense."

"Don't pretend," said Jellal. "I know you had the same thought. Besides, you can't deny that this Erza would make the perfect Eira," said Jellal. "Not only is she the right age, but I saw the look on your face. I know she's got plenty of magic potential."

Ultear scowled. "She's also a brainwashed little chit who lives and dies for the State. She's just like that fool Simon."

"She's a little naïve," said Jellal. "But it's nothing that we can't rectify."

If anything, Erza's naivete would work in their favor. All he had to do was show her the truth about the free State of Fiore. Maybe, if she could see the world for what it was, she'd agree to help.

"Her hair's red, just so you know," said Ultear, pursing her lips.

"What's your point?" asked Jellal.

"She'll stick out like a sore thumb," said Ultear. "The moment she's got the State's attention, there'll be nowhere we can hide. We'll never make it all the way to Magnolia with her. Couldn't you have picked someone less conspicuous?

"We'll be fine," said Jellal. "Besides, who knows when we'll find another girl quite as perfect as Erza. There's just something about her…" he said. "Something different. _Special_."

Ultear rolled her eyes. "Just keep telling yourself that, Sieg. The only thing special about this girl is how she's turned your brain into a useless pile of goo."

"Ultear!"

"You don't go around giving everyone your real name," she said. "And you still haven't told me what you're planning to do to win her confidence."

"Just trust me. If this doesn't change her mind, nothing will," said Jellal.

Then he turned back to Erza, who was shifting from one foot to the other, shooting leery glances at City Hall.

"You know, I think we can help you out with that, Erza," Jellal said, taking the steps two at a time. "The paperwork, that is."

"Really? You mean that?" she asked, excitement evident in her voice.

"Absolutely. It'd be a pleasure. Why don't we go somewhere where we can talk?" he suggested.

"Don't we have to take care of things at City Hall?" asked Erza.

"You seem uncomfortable here," said Jellal.

"Is it that obvious?" asked Erza, ducking her chin in embarrassment.

"A little," said Jellal.

"I didn't notice anything," Ultear assured her.

"I can't deny that I find this place ominous and a little bit sad," admitted Erza with a shudder.

"Then taking this conversation elsewhere may be for the best," said Jellal. "Besides, City Hall will be closing for the day in about half-an-hour. No sense in staying here."

Erza agreed readily, more than happy to leave this place behind.

So, Jellal led Erza and Ultear towards Brago Penitentiary.

* * *

 **Ooh, sneaky! What do you suppose Jellal could be planning? :)**

 **You've probably picked up on some contradictions between how Jellal and Ultear view the New Council and the free State of Fiore. That's intentional. They're not so much inconsistencies as they are differences in how each character feels. She hinted at it here, but think about how Erza was raised and why that may lead her to have a different opinion than Jellal and Ultear. I'll betcha getting her to play Eira won't come easy.**

 **We've got a special guest star next week... (Yeah, okay, I didn't leave you any good clues in the preview...) Let's just say it's a female character that I haven't written for you guys yet.) With that hint, who do you think it is? XD**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, Erza gets a taste of life under the New Council:** _The girl frowned, her eyes pinching shut. "My boyfriend," she sighed. "He was accused of using magic," she said, her mouth pressing into an angry line._

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	7. Brago Penitentiary

**Guess what, it's Monday! And I am super excited to share this week's chapter with you. We've got a very special cameo and I hope you have fun with it. Things are starting to pick up. :)  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

It didn't take Ultear long to figure out what Jellal was planning. This was surprisingly bold of him, but she definitely approved. He could be as devious as she was.

"Where are we?" asked Erza, hugging her arms around herself.

The stench of mildew and despair wafted towards them. The setting sun only served to make things even more eerie.

"At another state facility," shrugged Jellal. "Sort of like your Rosemary Orphanage, but a little different."

Erza's eyes widened in horror as she took in the dilapidated building. "There are children here?" gasped Erza, frowning.

"Sometimes," said Jellal, giving an easy shrug.

A shadow darted across her peripheral vision.

"What was that…?" Erza asked.

"Looks like we're in luck," said Ultear. "This way," she said, without waiting for a response. She knew that Jellal and Erza would be following closely.

Like a shadow herself, Ultear slipped into the darkness, following the mysterious figure. Having grown up on the streets of Brago, sneaking about was nothing new for Ultear. This was just the sort of thing you learned to do if you wanted to survive. Fortunately, her days being respectable as part of the New Council hadn't affected her reflexes.

When they got closer, Ultear was surprised to realize that the intruder was female. She was dressed like a bartender or a waitress. She had her skirt hiked up in one hand as she cut her way across the lawn, keeping to the shadows.

"Good evening, Citizen," Ultear called softly.

The girl whirled around, her serious, green eyes startled. "I haven't done anything wrong," she said. She took a step back, pressing herself against the wall. The universal sign of guilt.

Amateur.

"We're not going to hurt you," said Ultear.

"Who are you?" the girl demanded, her voice quivering.

"Depending on what you're doing, I might be a friend," said Ultear. "All three of us, actually," she added, gesturing over her shoulder at Erza and Jellal.

The girl bit her lip, conflict clouding her gaze.

"You won't be able to get in and out without my help," said Ultear. "Why don't you tell me who you're trying to get to?"

"How do I know I can trust you?" the girl demanded.

She was a smart one. Unfortunately, she didn't have a spark of magic in her. Otherwise, Ultear would have insisted that they choose _her_ as their Eira imposter. She was a much better choice than Erza was.

"You don't," said Ultear honestly. You couldn't trust anybody these days. Everyone thought they were a vigilante and people were turning their neighbors over to the authorities. "But seeing as we're still talking, and I haven't alerted the guards…"

The girl frowned, her eyes pinching shut. "My boyfriend," she sighed. "He was accused of using magic," she said, her mouth pressing into an angry line.

"Accused?" echoed Erza. "But didn't he get a trial?"

"Trial? What trial?" laughed the girl bitterly.

"It's been years since we've last had tribunals for accused wizards," explained Jellal softly. "These days, the accused are brought here and kept until their magical potential can be assessed. If they're found to have no ability, they're set free."

"That's fair, isn't it?" asked Erza. "They at least assess a person before they convict him."

"Erik comes from a family with a strong magical lineage, so, of course, he failed that sort of assessment. There was no way he didn't inherit some of that power."

"So, he actually is one, then… You're dating a wizard?" asked Erza, her eyes wide.

"Is that a problem?" the girl asked fiercely.

"I thought all wizards were _dangerous_ ," said Erza.

Those were the lies that had spread about wizards. Being born with special talents was supposedly unfair to the average Citizen and the existence of magic was some sort of threat to freedom and equality. And in some twisted sense of justice, the persecution of wizards became an accepted behavior. Of course, the brainwashed masses couldn't see who the real oppressors were.

"Erik didn't do anything wrong. He never hurt anyone. How is punishing him fair?"

"Then why—"

"It's like you said. Wizards are _dangerous_ ," the girl hissed, her tone bitter. "He faces execution. I have to get him out of there."

"Execution?" whispered Erza, her eyes wide.

Ultear rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure why Jellal had chosen this wide-eyed innocent to play their Eira. She may have reached her majority, but she was still little more than a child. How did he expect to pass her off as the daughter of a famous guild master?

The girl had slipped back into the shadows, keeping to the prison wall.

"You're not going to get in there by yourself," said Ultear.

"I'll find a way," the girl replied, looking back at them. Her eyes were desperate. "I have to."

Jellal sighed, turning towards her. "Are you always hopeless at expressing yourself, Tear?" he asked. Then he turned to the girl. "What my friend means is: we'd like to help you, if you'd let us," offered Jellal.

The girl frowned, as if considering.

"It isn't like you have any other options," Ultear reminded her.

"What did you have in mind?"

Jellal and Ultear exchanged glances.

"There's got to be a back way in," said Ultear, taking the lead.

"You sound like you know what you're talking about," observed Erza.

"Who me?" asked Ultear. "Oh, no. I'm making this up as I go."

Ultear scanned the stone wall, trying to find any point of entry. She didn't want to use her magic here if she didn't have to.

Towards the back of the prison, Ultear's eyes fell upon a small window, so low that the edge touched the ground. It was barred by a solid-looking metal grate.

Ultear squinted at the window before narrowing her eyes at Jellal. It might have been a bit of a squeeze, but it was probably fine. Then she smiled to herself.

"Hm, it looks like we've found our way in," said Ultear.

If she used just a tiny bit of her magic, she could probably age the bars enough that Jellal could snap them without getting caught.

"We?" asked Erza.

"Through there?" the girl asked, pointing.

"Of course, what else?" shrugged Ultear. "Well, what are you waiting for, Sieg? Lend a hand."

Jellal snorted. "You expect me to… what, exactly? Pull those bars out of the wall?"

"Well, what else? You know I'm not strong enough to do it, but I'm sure you could manage it."

"They're made of metal."

"Yes, and they look a little rusty to me. I'm sure they'll give," said Ultear breezily.

"They aren't rusty," frowned Erza.

"They're rusty," insisted Ultear. "Now, hurry up," she said to Jellal. "Each to the best of their ability. Isn't that what they say? Why don't you show us ladies how it's done? Unless you want one of us to try our hand at it?" smirked Ultear, waving at Erza.

"Honestly," muttered Jellal. He shot her a scathing look, but he didn't argue. He always had been easy to influence, especially with that noble, bleeding heart of his.

He squatted down next to the window obediently, latching his fingers around the bars. He tugged on them.

"Pull," commanded Ultear. "Pull harder!"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" snapped Jellal.

"You aren't trying hard enough," complained Ultear as crouched next to him, putting one hand on the grate. She sent a trickle of her power through the metal. Weakened by her magic, Ultear could see the bars start to give under the force of Jellal's strength.

A sharp creak sounded as the metal bowed. The metal scraped harshly as it came free from the stone. Jellal tumbled backwards as it came loose, the grate clutched in his hand.

"Well, it seems you're stronger than you look," commented Ultear.

She got on her knees to crawl through the hole. But before the others could follow, Ultear held up a hand.

"We've found you a way in," Ultear told the girl. "The least you could do is give your name in exchange."

"I thought you said I couldn't trust you," said the girl suspiciously.

"I said you couldn't tell yet. But you should know by now," said Ultear, shrugging. "Besides, we're taking a risk here too. You haven't given me any reason to trust you."

The girl considered this for a moment before nodding.

"I'm Kinana."

* * *

 **So what'd you think? A little bit of Ultear's PoV, a little bit of the mysterious Kinana.  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, a little Kinabra reunion:** _"No, this is enough. All I wanted was to hear your voice again," he mumbled. "Just one last time…"_

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	8. Erik

**It's Monday and I've got a really good chapter for you guys. I'm really pleased with how this one turned out, so I'm excited to share it with you.**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

This was _nothing_ like Rosemary Orphanage.

Ultear and Kinana pressed further into the facility, leaving her with Jellal, who was bringing up the rear. Despite their care, their footsteps echoed down empty halls. Some of the cells were, fortunately, empty. Others were filled with huddled, miserable masses with haggard faces and sunken cheeks that Erza couldn't bear to look at. Erza wondered at the sort of people they were. She wondered how _dangerous_ Kinana's boyfriend really was.

Kinana looked so _normal_. Ordinary. She didn't seem like the kind of girl who would get herself involved in anything illegal.

Of course, Erza would never have imagined that _she'd_ be spending her first night away from Rosemary sneaking around a state penitentiary either.

"Something on your mind?" asked Jellal. "You've got quite the frown."

Erza let out a breath. Jellal seemed so relaxed here that Erza couldn't help but ask. "Do you do this sort of thing often?" she asked quietly.

Jellal chuckled. "I can't say that I do, no. Actually, if I'm being entirely honest, I wasn't planning on much more than a look around. I figured I'd show you another side to the world, but it seems my exercise has gotten a little out of hand."

"Just a little," said Erza. "It all seems a little bit unreal," she admitted.

"Like something out of a dream?" asked Jellal wryly.

"More like a nightmare," said Erza. "I can't imagine having to live like this."

"Yet, this is the reality for many of Fiore's Citizens," said Jellal, his voice regretful.

"It sounds strange, but I feel almost lucky to have been an orphan."

"Ultear and I were orphans too," said Jellal. "But we weren't as fortunate as you were. Most of us aren't."

Was it possible that…

But, no. That couldn't be the case! The State took care of people. She wouldn't be alive, if not for that. Kinana and her boyfriend must just be the victims of some unfortunate mistake or misunderstanding. They were the exception, not the rule. They had to be.

"I wish I could do something for them," said Erza. "It hardly seems fair."

"You and I both, Erza," said Jellal, his eyes distant. "You and I both."

Erza wasn't keeping track of the halls and corridors as she followed along, surprised when they came to an abrupt halt in front of one of the cells. The occupant of this one was slumped against the wall, his knees drawn up to his chest.

Kinana gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Is this the place?" asked Ultear dryly.

Kinana ignored her, choosing instead to pressing herself against the bars.

"Erik!" she hissed. "Erik, it's me!"

"Kinana…?" he croaked, his voice tinged with disbelief. He blinked, rubbing at his good eye. The other bore a healing injury, a slash in the flesh that pulled tight over an empty socket. "Is that really you?"

"Yes… yes! I'm here," she said.

"You shouldn't be here," he said, shaking his head furiously.

"Well, I'm here now. It's all right. I'm getting you out of here. Just give me a second."

"No, this is enough. All I wanted was to hear your voice again," he mumbled. "Just one last time…"

"How were you planning on getting him out?" asked Jellal.

"I don't know. I hadn't gotten that far," admitted Kinana.

"Ultear," said Jellal, motioning at the wall of Erik's cell.

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this…" she sighed. Shutting her eyes, Ultear pressed her palm to the stone.

"Ultear… what are you—" Erza started to say.

"Wait for it," Jellal told her.

The room started to shake and Erza felt a pulse of _something_ around her as the stone under Ultear's fingers crumbled, leaving a hole large enough for a person to pass through.

"You're wizards too," Erza gasped, her stomach giving an uneasy churn. What had she gotten herself into?

She wasn't sure why she had expected any differently. As much as she had tried to ignore the facts, this was a state _prison_ facility. And she and her new friends had just broken in.

"Why does that matter? I thought you wanted to help them," said Jellal, his eyes reflecting his disappointment.

"It doesn't," she said quickly.

Kinana wasted no time in rushing to Erik's side, supporting him as he struggled to his feet. She gasped when she finally got a good look at his gaunt face.

"What did they do to you?" she murmured. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she cupped his face in her hand. She traced the scar that crossed his destroyed right eye.

"I'm all right. I've still got the other one," he said, forcing a wavering smile even as the tears rolled down his own cheek.

His words only made her cry harder. He pulled her close, one hand at the back of her head.

"How long has it been?" he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

"Too long…" Kinana sobbed into his chest.

"I'm so sorry. I never wanted to involve you in this," he said hoarsely.

She shook her head, pulling back just far enough to meet his gaze. "No… It's not your fault. I've been involved since the moment I fell in love with you," she whispered.

"I'm so, so sorry," he said, brushing her tears away with his thumb.

"I don't regret it," she said, shaking her head. "Never."

"Kinana…"

Erza watched as the young lovers cried in each other's embrace, unable to fight the conflict squeezing her heart.

"This is the State you love so much. _This_ is what they do to people," Jellal reminded her quietly.

"You really were one of the fortunate ones," said Ultear.

"The State Security Task Force arrested three children today," added Jellal. "Orphans. And what crime do you think they committed?"

Erza shook her head, unable to speak. Children? Were these the 'dangerous criminals' that Kagura had mentioned?

"They used magic," spat Ultear. "But that wasn't the worst part. No, what's worse is that it was an _accident_. Two of his friends had been playing in the street. They didn't see the oncoming car. The 'dangerous' wizard in question pushed them out of the way and saved their lives, and possibly that of the driver, too. Now all three children are here until the State can determine whether they have any magical ability."

Erza couldn't believe what she was hearing. This was _wrong_! There was no reason for a child to suffer so cruel a fate after saving a friend's life. Children deserved to grow up fighting with wooden swords and eating cake with their friends.

Erza remembered laughing with Millianna, Sho, Simon and Wally. Things couldn't have been more perfect. She would never have imagined that this is what life outside of Rosemary would have looked like.

"We can't… We can't just leave them there," mumbled Erza.

"What else can we do?" said Jellal, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Anything we do would be going against the State," he said seriously. "One wrong move and we'll find ourselves in here with them," he reminded her.

"But this is wrong!" she blurted, unable to stop herself.

"I thought the State was always right," said Ultear, her tone acidic.

"It is," stammered Erza.

"Is it?" asked Ultear.

Erza shook her head. "How could freedom and equality for all people be wrong? How could taking power away from the privileged few to provide a chance to the common man be wrong?" she asked, almost desperately.

"It's not," said Jellal. "But does this look right to you? Does the spread of fear and ignorant lies against those who can't help what they were born to feel right to you? What about the senseless persecution of these 'dangerous' wizards, who were only going about their business? Who's the real oppressor here?"

Erza didn't respond. Was it possible that everything she had been taught was a lie?

"It doesn't sit well with you, does it?" asked Jellal gently.

"No," whispered Erza.

"Then let's help them," said Jellal, extending his hand.

Swallowing hard, Erza looked at Jellal's outstretched hand. Was this the right thing to do? She couldn't deny the truth that was before her. But yet…

"I'll come with you," said Erik, limping out of his cell with Kinana's help. "I can show you where they're being kept."

"No," protested Kinana. "You aren't strong enough. You can barely stand. I need to get you out of here."

"We can't be selfish," said Erik.

"Erik, _please_."

"They're just like I am. I can't just leave them here."

"But—"

"Listen to that girl of yours, Erik," said Ultear. "Don't make her worry about you any more than she already has."

"We can get the others out," said Jellal.

"You'll do that?" asked Erik.

"You have my word," Jellal said.

"Thank you…" breathed Erik. "You can find them just down the hall, two rights and a left. Good luck."

"The same to you two," said Erza.

"Hurry up," said Ultear. "We don't have long. It's a miracle we haven't been caught yet."

With a wave of her hand, Ultear restored the wall of the cell. Then they bid goodbye to Erik and Kinana, the young couple heading in one direction and Erza and her new friends going in the other.

* * *

 **That was my first time writing Kinabra. What'd you think?  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, our heroes rescue a bunch of children. Any guesses as to who they are? (I actually left some decent clues to this one.)**

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	9. Jailbreak

**It's Monday!** **Remember I mentioned that people's ages would be all over the place? Get ready, here's an example.**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

The children were right where Erik said they were. There were two boys and a little girl, huddled together in a small, dark cell that smelled of sweat and despair.

One of the boys was curled up on the floor, his thumb pressed in his mouth. He tossed fitfully, muttering in his sleep.

"Please," he whimpered. "I'm sorry. I won't do it again. Just let me go. It wasn't me!" he sobbed.

"Give it a rest, would you, Bethie?" huffed the other boy. "It's no use."

"Easy for you to say," complained the little girl. "Whose fault is this?"

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'm sorry, all right?"

"'Sorry' doesn't help us right now, Sawyer," she said tartly.

Erza's heart clenched when she saw them. She hadn't been much older when they had found her.

"What's going to happen to them?" asked Erza.

"The little girl might be acquitted if she's lucky. I don't sense much magical energy coming from her. As for her friends… The boy with the beak-nose will probably be face execution," shrugged Ultear. "The other is looking at either lifetime imprisonment or death, depending on how dangerous they deem him," shrugged Ultear.

"That's… just cruel!" gasped Erza. She imagined Sho, Millianna and Wally sitting behind those bars. The thought made her sick.

"And that's why we're going to change that," said Jellal. He crouched down so he'd be eye-level with the children. "Hey, over here! We're here to let you out," he called softly.

"You what?" the little girl cried, scampering up to the bars.

"Shh, shh, shh! You have to stay very quiet," said Jellal, a finger raised to his lips. "Can you do that for me?"

"Yeah! We can stay quiet!"

"All right. Ultear, will you do the honors?"

Ultear raised her hand, making stone crumble as it had before. But this time, the results were far less impressive. The room barely rumbled, and the resulting hole was only large enough for the children to get through.

"Come on out," she said, reaching in to lift the children out one by one. First, the beak-nosed boy. Then the little girl, who latched onto Erza immediately. Finally, Ultear handed Jellal their sleeping friend. "That's a good look for you," she said, smirking.

"Would you be serious for once?" hissed Jellal. "We need to get out of here."

The beak-nosed boy shook his head. "You just worry about getting Bethie and Sora out. The Task Force people won't catch me," he said confidently before turning to his friends. "I can meet you two in the square," he told his friends. "We can work out the rest after."

"Be careful, Sawyer," said the little girl. "Your speed was what landed us here in the first place," she reminded him, her lip jutted out in annoyance.

"I don't have to be careful. I just have to be _fast_ ," he bragged. Before any of them could protest, he was gone.

"He really is fast," said the little girl, Sora, presumably.

After Ultear restored the wall, Jellal led them back the way they came, with Bethie cradled in his arms.

"I wish I was fast like that," Sora told Erza. "Then things like this would never happen."

"Do you?" asked Erza. "And what would you do if you got your wish?"

"I wouldn't waste it like Sawyer does, running around like an idiot," Sora said. "I'd want to be free… and disappear up in the sky… like an angel," she whispered, her eyes shining. "Nobody would find us there. And there'd be no one to bother us. We'd be free."

"That sounds… wonderful," said Erza. She tightened her grip around Sora's tiny fingers. There was no way a girl like this was dangerous.

A shout sounded from down the hall. A woman's voice. "They've escaped!"

"Impossible!" A man's voice this time. "Check the other cell!"

"I'm on it."

"Told you they were going to find us," muttered Jellal, breaking into a run.

Erza scooped Sora into her arms and followed after.

"Did your original plan involve a prison break?" asked Ultear, her tone light and conversational.

"Not exactly, no," said Jellal.

"And this is what happens when I let you improvise!" she sighed, pulling them out of the main hall and into a shadowy corridor. It was almost completely dark except for a high window that let in a shaft pale moonlight.

"What are you doing?" asked Jellal. "We don't have time for this."

"Be quiet," said Ultear, raising her hand. "You had your chance. Now it's my turn," she said. The entire building trembled as she destroyed a section of the thick outer wall, leaving a gaping hole, large enough for Jellal to step through if he stooped.

"Well done. Now they'll know _exactly_ where we are," complained Jellal.

"They were about to catch us anyways," said Ultear, entirely unapologetic as she pushed Jellal outside.

As she stepped through the hole, Erza breathed a sigh of relief. They weren't out of danger yet, but she couldn't help but be relieved to be outside of the cloistering walls of the prison.

"We can take it from here," Sora piped up, squirming in Erza's arms.

"But we can't—" protested Erza, even as she set the girl down.

"Are you sure?" Jellal asked Sora.

Sora nodded. "We gotta split up. Otherwise we'll get caught," she said, reaching for her friend, who had stayed asleep during the entire ordeal. "Bethie. Bethie, wake up."

"Wha… where?" the little boy mumbled. "We're out?" he asked

"There's no time, Bethie. We're out, but we gotta run, okay? We gotta be fast, like Sawyer. Can you do that?"

Bethie rubbed his sleepy eyes. "Y-yeah!" he mumbled, a grin pulling at his chubby face.

"Be careful!" said Erza.

"You too," said Sora, latching onto Bethie. The two children darted across the courtyard, hand in hand, the picture of innocence. But for how long?

"Time for us to go, too," said Jellal.

"Wait," said Ultear, turning to seal the wall back up.

"What are you doing that for?" asked Jellal.

"It's called covering our tracks," said Ultear.

Just as the pieces of the stone had started to restore themselves, Erza saw a handsome man in a grey uniform stride down the main hall.

"It's no use. We've lost them," the officer said.

Erza's heart leapt into her throat when she recognized him. "Simon…" mumbled Erza.

* * *

 **So... who liked the cameo by the Oracion Kids? I had so much fun trying to kid-ify Macbeth, Sorano and Sawyer. (Yeah, I know she's Sorano and not Sora, but I figure she's like seven here.)  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, Erza finds herself in conflict:** _"You're speaking treason!" Erza interrupted sharply. She could not let these two sway her opinion. It wasn't right._

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	10. Lies and Propaganda and Dangerous Talk

**It's another Fairy Tail Fairytale Monday! This is one of my favorite chapters in the first part of the story, so I hope you like it.  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

He had gotten tall and broad-shouldered, looking much older and more confident than when she last saw him. But there was no denying it. The man in grey was the boy she had played with back at Rosemary Orphanage.

It was Simon.

"Friend of yours?" sneered Ultear.

"Sort of…" said Erza, unsure what that had to do with anything. "Why does that matter?"

Ultear snorted, crossing her arms.

"He was the one who arrested the children…" said Jellal quietly.

"No, that can't be right. Simon would never do something so awful!" said Erza, her nails digging into her palms.

"He thought he was doing the right thing," said Jellal.

Erza shook her head again. "I just can't believe that. Simon knows better than that!"

"Weren't you the one who said that all wizards were dangerous?" asked Ultear.

"Well, yes, but…"

"What happens when these children grow up? Magical children become wizards. And wizards become dangerous, do they not?" she said sharply.

"Not here," said Jellal. "Let's go someplace where we can speak freely."

Jellal led them back towards the center of Brago, turning towards a community where the streets were better-lit, and the houses were much larger than most. There were no boarded-up windows or rickety steps here.

Erza had never seen such a thing. Why would the houses on this street be nicer than the others? Weren't they all supposed to be equal under the law? She had assumed that meant that all houses would be about the same size. Of course, she had never left Rosemary Orphanage.

Erza breathed a sigh of relief as they stepped into the warm glow of street lights and well-trafficked areas. This was very different from the prison complex they had just fled.

"What is this place?" asked Erza.

"This is where I live," said Jellal, letting them into a house that looked much like the others on the street.

"It's nice," she said, talking in the warmly lit rooms and high ceilings. This was a far cry from the shoddy prison that they had just left or even serviceable Rosemary Orphanage that she had called home.

"It's passible," he said, waving for them to sit.

Despite his words, Erza could tell this was much nicer than the dwelling of the average Citizen. Despite all the talk of equality, there must have been some luxuries only granted to those in positions of authority, like Task Force Officers. But given what she had seen tonight, she doubted Jellal and Ultear were connected to the Task Force.

Erza settled stiffly in an armchair, her coat bundled in her lap. This room was almost too nice for a nobody like her to be in.

"We did a good thing today," said Jellal, "freeing those children."

"Don't forget about Erik and Kinana," said Ultear.

"Quite so," said Jellal, nodding.

"What about the rest?" asked Ultear.

Jellal sighed. "We've talked about this. The problem doesn't lie in one prison or one arrest, Ultear," he said. "The problem lies with the system that punishes those for being born with magic. It teaches people to hide their talents. Children grow up in fear."

"Well, if the system is broken, then—" began Ultear.

"That's dangerous talk," interrupted Erza sharply. Here, in this well-lit room, on a plush armchair, it was easier to keep her head and her principles. Away from uncomfortable penitentiaries and ragged children, it all seemed less real. More like someone else's problem.

"We're very aware of what a risk this is, Erza," said Jellal. "But, I don't think we have a choice."

"You're speaking treason!" Erza snapped. She could not let these two sway her opinion. It wasn't right.

Jellal sighed, exchanging glances with Ultear. "Should I…?"

Ultear gave an impatient wave. "If you must," she sighed, lips turning down in a scowl.

"Erza, we're…" Jellal lowered his voice. "We're members of the New Council."

She sucked in a breath. "The New Council?" repeated Erza skeptically. "You expect me to believe that?"

"I know I told you to call me Jellal? Well, everyone else calls me Siegrain. That's still Ultear."

Erza's eyes widened. "That's impossible. Council Fourth Siegrain and Council Fifth Ultear?" she asked.

"I see you recognize us," said Ultear loftily.

"I recognize your _names_ …" said Erza.

Every child in Fiore knew the face of Citizen Byro, the Council Chair. His portrait was displayed prominently in every school, every hospital, every business in Fiore. As for the other Council Members, they were less well known, but Erza had seen pictures.

She had, indeed, remembered a young councilwoman with dark hair, that matched Ultear's description. Council Fifth Ultear was one of only two women on the New Council. She was known for being both exacting and scrupulous, despite being the youngest member.

Council Fourth Siegrain had always been a people's politician. He was young and energetic, well-loved, and respected by all. He was also _very_ good looking. Millianna had gone as far as to call him dreamy when they had looked at pictures in their History and Government class.

And Jellal certainly fit that bill, but there was something different about him. The most recognizable thing about the Council Fourth was the mark of the free State of Fiore that decorated the right side of his face, something that Jellal didn't have.

"I thought Citizen Siegrain had a…" she tapped at her right eye.

"What? You mean this?" Jellal rubbed at his cheek. The bottom half of the red marking that symbolized the New Council started to emerge under his fingers.

"You _are_ him…" said Erza, unable to hide her awe.

Jellal wiped his fingers on a handkerchief, leaving a flesh-colored residue on the cloth. "I thought it was a good idea when I was a teenager. What better way to show support for a cause than to wear it on your face? But now I tend to hide it when I'm not on business," said Jellal. "I prefer being less conspicuous."

"But why are you doing this? Don't you know what that means? The people elected you to serve their interests. And here you want to oppress them with magic?!"

"Lies and propaganda," said Ultear, shaking her head. "Magic never oppressed anyone."

"Magic is used by the elite to control the general masses," argued Erza. Everyone knew that.

"Is that what they're teaching these days?" asked Jellal.

"It's the truth, isn't it?" asked Erza.

"Whose truth? The truth is in the eye of the beholder," said Jellal. "Everyone twists the facts to fit their narrative. What you've got is just one version of it."

"And what's _your_ truth?" asked Erza, a heavy knot forming in her belly. She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.

"Everyone has some magic potential," explained Ultear. "While not everyone has the same aptitude, it's certainly not limited to the privileged few. The only thing required is the desire to learn. It is hard work, and not everyone had the time or the devotion for it."

"You want to know what I think?" asked Erza. "I think you're insane. People like you need to be arrested by the Task Force."

"Is that really what your heart's telling you?" asked Jellal, his voice low. "Can you really look the other way when these people are suffering like this? It breaks my heart," he told her. "I can't stay quiet anymore. Can you?"

For a moment, Erza didn't respond, swallowing hard. But finally, she shook her head. "How do I make this right?" she whispered.

Jellal and Ultear exchanged glances.

"What have you heard about the Purging?" asked Ultear.

"Twelve years ago, a brave band of Citizens raided the Guild Masters' Conference when it was being held here in Brago," recited Erza. "They waited until they had the cover of night and attacked."

"With the most powerful wizards in Fiore gathered together, it was a bloodbath," said Jellal darkly.

"One that changed the power dynamics in Fiore in an instant," added Ultear.

"Not just the power dynamics," said Jellal. "The entire culture. Magic went from being an ordinary part of everyday life to a taboo, something that people were being persecuted for. People just like Erik and those children. It was senseless."

"That's… awful," whispered Erza.

"There were a few survivors who escaped," said Ultear. "At least, that's the rumor."

"But it's just a rumor," said Erza. "How do you know it's true?"

"If it wasn't, there wouldn't be a Resistance at all," said Jellal.

Ultear nodded. "One of the survivors of that night was one of Fiore's strongest guild masters. Up until his death, he and two of his sons traveled across Fiore, gathering wizards together and providing a safe-haven for them."

"What does that have to do with me?" asked Erza.

"I'm getting there," said Ultear. "Lately, the word on the street is that there might be another survivor: the guild master's daughter, Eira. Her two brothers are trying to find her."

"What's so important about her?" asked Erza. "I mean, I imagine that if I had a brother or a sister, I'd want to find them too," she said wistfully. "But that's nothing to start rumors over."

"It's bigger than just that. If the rumors are to be believed, Eira's supposed to lead the Resistance to rise up against the New Council and bring it to its knees," explained Jellal, waving in her direction.

Erza shook her head, still not understanding.

"Erza," said Jellal seriously. "Have you ever considered that you might have a family somewhere?"

"I might…" Erza narrowed her eyes. "You want me to _pretend_ to be this Eira girl?" she exploded, shaking her head.

"Who says you're pretending?" asked Ultear. "She's from Brago. You were found right outside the city, in Rosemary. You're about the same age as she would have been."

"Your name is Erza. That's not too different from Eira," said Jellal.

"I can't lead a rebellion! She's the daughter of a famous guild master," said Erza. "I don't know any magic."

"You've got the potential. Who says you can't learn?"

"Learn?" asked Erza, her brows drawing severely. "What do you mean learn? Everyone knows that magic is something that the elite of the old regime horded to keep their power. If anyone could learn it, how much of a threat could they be?" she asked.

"I told you earlier, everyone's born with some magic potential. The question is how much and whether they choose to cultivate it," said Ultear. "You, my dear, have plenty of it. I knew it the moment I saw you."

"Having _that_ much magic is something of a rarity. It's this that convinces me that you could be Eira," said Jellal.

Could she? What if she was?

"But I'm not, though," said Erza, saying it out loud to convince herself.

"But you could be," said Jellal.

No! She wasn't doing this.

"Do you even realize how illegal this is? Helping the Resistance and planning a coup… that's treason!" snapped Erza, her voice wavering.

"And releasing dangerous criminals from a state prison isn't?" challenged Ultear.

Erza recoiled as if she had been slapped. She had done that, hadn't she?

She didn't know what was right anymore. Everything she'd been taught… What if it was all a lie? What was the truth? And was she somehow connected to this truth?

"I don't know what to believe anymore…" mumbled Erza, shaking her head.

"I know it's confusing. But you can believe in me," said Jellal softly, putting his hand on hers. "Is that okay?"

Erza nodded. She had only met him a few hours ago, but there was a strength and certainty in his grip that made Erza want to trust him.

"But what if I'm _not_ Eira?" asked Erza suddenly.

"But what if you _are_?" asked Jellal. "What if you're the only one who could make this country right again? You could be the answers to their prayers, the salvation of all of Fiore. You could be Eira."

Was that possible? Was this what she was meant to do?

"Besides," continued Ultear, ever-practical. "Even if you're not, it's no harm done. We'll go to Magnolia, and the guild master's sons should be able to tell right away if you're not their sister."

Jellal squeezed her fingers gently. "Haven't you wanted to be somewhere you could make a difference?" he asked, his eyes serious. "Haven't you ever wondered where you belong? What if this is it?"

That was something that she thought about every day. She had always wondered about her purpose, about what she was meant to do in this life. But more than that, her mind was filled with possibilities of where she was meant to be.

What if this was her home? Her family? She didn't dare hope.

"Okay," said Erza. "Let's go to Magnolia."

* * *

 **And we're finally off to Paris! I mean, Magnolia. It took us a lot longer to get to this point than the film Anastasia did, but Erza had more to work through. Movie Anastasia was pretty much like 'It's a free trip to Paris, so why not?' but I wanted Erza to have to make a choice and think about what she really believes in. She's changed her mind twice since she left Rosemary this morning (first to rebel against expectations and be a Task Force Officer, then to potentially join the rebellion against the Task Force and the state). Moreso than her movie counterpart, this puts Erza in a position of reliance on Jellal (and Ultear, to some extent), as he's sort of her steward into this world that's the opposite of what she thought she knew.  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **:** _Jellal didn't hesitate. "Scarlet. Like your hair," he explained with a half-smile. "So I'll never forget."_

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	11. All Aboard

**It's Monday! I just did a quick count and we're about a quarter of the way through this story** **—less if you're going by word count.**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

The next morning, Erza prepared to leave for Magnolia. She had nothing to pack, having left Rosemary with only the clothes on her back. She came into the sitting room to find Jellal and Ultear fussing over some documents.

"I'm ready," she said.

"Ultear and I need a few more minutes. Why don't you sit down?" said Jellal.

Erza couldn't help but gasp. Jellal hadn't covered the New Council mark tattooed over his right eye. But that wasn't the only thing he had left exposed.

A rough line of puckered, pink flesh crossed Jellal's other eye from his cheekbone to just below his brow.

"What's the matter?" asked Jellal.

Ultear look up, eyes flitting from Erza to Jellal. "Go put your face on," she said, as if it were nothing at all.

"Ah. Right. Apologies," said Jellal, ducking into the other room.

When he came back, he looked as he had yesterday. The red tattoo was all but invisible and the scar had been camouflaged as undamaged flesh.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," said Jellal. "I wasn't thinking. Is this better?"

"Don't apologize. I was surprised, is all," said Erza. "It doesn't bother me."

"Are you sure?" asked Jellal. "It's a gruesome sight," he admitted, his fingers tapping where the scar would have been.

"Does it still…? Do you…?" Erza gave an awkward shrug.

"Oh. I can see out of it just fine," shrugged Jellal. "My vision's perfect. Almost perfect, at least," he amended.

"That's good," said Erza politely. "So, it doesn't hurt anymore?"

"I forget it's even there," said Jellal smoothly. "Hence, the um— _mishap_ —this morning."

"What color are your eyes, Erza?" interrupted Ultear.

"My… _my_ eyes? Brown, I guess. Why?"

Ultear nodded. "Eyes: brown. Hair: red," mumbled Ultear, scribbling absently.

"Ah, that's right," said Jellal, nodding at Erza.

"Did you forget already?" shot Ultear. "Height… weight… age… that's probably close enough," she muttered under her breath.

"I didn't forget!" said Jellal. "I… wasn't paying attention," he finished lamely.

Erza blushed as his eyes swept over her. "I'm surprised you didn't notice right away," said Erza. "That's the first thing most people notice."

"I was too busy noticing _you_ and how much you resembled Eira," said Jellal.

Erza's stomach gave a happy flip, pleased by the compliment.

"You really think so?"

"Of course, I do," said Jellal. "You're lovely."

Erza felt her face heat up. "I meant, do you think I look like Eira?"

"I'm sure you do," he said.

"She'll need a last name for her travel papers. I won't be able to do much without one," said Ultear. "I'm good, but I'm not _that_ good."

"Scarlet," said Jellal, without a moment's hesitation. "Like your hair," he explained with a half-smile. "So I'll never forget."

"Or we could dye it and you won't have to remember anymore," said Ultear. "Actually, that's not a bad idea. It'll keep us from being noticed."

"Let's not," said Jellal.

"Growing attached?" asked Ultear.

"No, we just don't have time. I'm sure we'll be fine," he said.

Erza was glad Jellal said this.

"Erza _Scarlet_ …" she mumbled, her lips curving upwards. She was still enchanted by her new last name.

She'd never had a last name before. She'd always been a nobody. Last names were for somebodies and people with families.

"It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" he asked.

Erza couldn't agree more. Maybe she could be _somebody_.

Erza Scarlet.

"Quit grinning and let's get going," said Ultear, slamming a rubber stamp onto Erza's newly-forged documents. "I'm finished." She passed Erza the official-looking papers. "If anybody asks, you're Erza Scarlet, age seventeen. You're on your way to Magnolia to visit family."

"Got it," said Erza.

"And if anyone asks, we're _not_ traveling together," added Jellal. "We just ran into each other. Ultear and I are on New Council business."

"All the way in Magnolia?" challenged Ultear.

"They don't have to know we're going to Magnolia," said Jellal, waving his hand breezily.

"You must think that people are idiots," she snorted. "Although seeing what they've done with this country, I don't think that's far from the truth."

Erza held her breath as she she followed Jellal and Ultear to the station. She bought her ticket, not relaxing until she was safely aboard the train that would take them to Magnolia.

* * *

"I hate trains," muttered Ultear as they boarded.

"I hate people, but you don't see me complaining," said Jellal.

"Why do you hate trains?" asked Erza.

"Bad experience with them as a little girl," said Ultear.

"You mean like—"

Ultear cut her off with a smile. "Let's go find a car… and get you away from all of these _awful_ people, Sieg," she simpered before fixing Jellal with a smirk.

Ultear managed to find them an empty compartment.

"Do you want the window?" she asked Erza.

Erza slid in first with a grateful smile. "I'd like to say good bye," she said, peering out the window.

Jellal took the seat next to her. But Ultear didn't sit down.

"Where are you going?" Jellal asked.

"Just taking care of a few things. Keep him out of trouble until I get back," she told Erza.

"Don't worry, I will."

Jellal snorted.

Erza pressed up against the window, so close that her breath made clouds against the glass. She wiped them away with her sleeve.

"Do you think you'll miss it?" she asked quietly.

"Miss what?" Jellal felt the lurch of the train as it pulled away from the station.

"Brago," she said, frowning.

"I hold no particular regard for Brago," said Jellal wryly. Brago had changed his life, and not for the better. His fingers traced the raised scar that crossed his left eye.

"It was your home, wasn't it?"

"In a manner of speaking," he admitted. "Although, I hardly think it counts. You know how I feel about the New Council."

"How can you say that? You lived there for years, didn't you?"

"I grew up there," agreed Jellal.

"Exactly. Didn't you have anyone you cared about?" asked Erza, frowning.

Jellal crossed his arms. "What does that matter?"

"Home is a place to belong," she said.

Jellal quirked an eyebrow. How naïve.

He belonged on the New Council, though he'd hardly call it his home. He couldn't even use his own name there!

"It's where the people you care about are," she tried again.

That ruled out the Council. He couldn't care less about those self-assured politicians. The people of Brago, on the other hand, were another story. He always enjoyed chatting with them and pretending to share their worries and their woes. It made him feel important. _Needed_.

Sometimes, Jellal hated how practical he could be. But it was what he had to do to survive. It had gotten him this far, hadn't it? He was Council Fourth and one of the most important men in Fiore. That had to be worth something, didn't it?

"I don't have anyone like that," he said easily.

"No family?"

"I'm an orphan, like you. I think I told you that."

"No friends? Nothing?"

It seemed like Erza was the sentimental type. Jellal supposed it made sense, with her having grown up in an orphanage. She probably cherished those few precious memories of the time she spent with people she cared about.

And what did he have? Just Ultear, if Jellal could even call her a friend. Ultear was really more of… an ally. Just someone with a common goal. But for the sake of this discussion, she could be his 'friend.'

"Ultear's my friend," said Jellal. "But she's coming with us."

"That's not what I meant," said Erza. "I meant like a… you know… a _special_ friend."

Jellal shrugged. "Ah, I can't think of anyone…"

"Maybe a _girl_ friend?" asked Erza, staring down at her hands self-consciously, blushing as soon as the words left her mouth.

Jellal shook his head.

"Jellal… That's so sad…" said Erza, her eyes widening in concern.

"I think you're making a bigger deal of this than it needs to be," said Jellal.

"It was _my_ home…" she said softly, a soft smile pulling at her lips. "Well, Rosemary was, at least."

" _You_ had people you cared about there?" asked Jellal.

"The other kids at Rosemary Orphanage. Wally and Milli and Sho. And Simon, I guess… but maybe not anymore."

"What happened to them?"

"What? Oh, nothing. It's just that I reached my majority. I got too old for them to keep me at the orphanage, so I had to leave and find a job. The others are still there, though. Except for Simon, obviously," said Erza, her voice growing soft.

"Simon was from Rosemary?" asked Jellal.

"We were really good friends. We're the same age, but he left the orphanage a couple of years ago," recalled Erza. "They said they found him an apprenticeship as a blacksmith. I always wished we could see each other again, but not like that." She hugged her arms around herself.

"Are you sure that was him?" asked Jellal. "Could you have mistaken someone else for him?"

"I…" Erza shook her head, swallowing hard. "I'm positive."

They had been traveling for a few hours when Ultear threw the compartment door open.

"We've got to move," said Ultear, her lips pressed into a grim line.

"What's the matter?" asked Erza.

"Our friend Simon is on this train…" she said.

* * *

 **Finally, we're starting to get more Jerza interactions! (I much prefer slow burn romances over the whirlwind variety, so most of my pieces tend to move at a snails's pace.)**

 **For those who are still confused, Jellal's got both a tattoo (right) and a scar (left). The scar's from the night of the Purging, so he always keeps it covered up so he doesn't have to explain it. He had the mark of the New Council tattooed over his right eye, but he covers that up too when he doesn't want to be recognized as Siegrain. In the next few chapters, he'll have both hidden with concealer, just like he did when he first met Erza.**

 **Admittedly, a tattoo-less Jellal is weird to imagine, but I don't see someone like that not getting recognized and arrested right away. Especially if he's traveling with a girl with long, red hair. Ultear's the only one who looks like she might blend in. (I always thought Ultear looked a lot like Kagura. Is that just me?)  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, Simon has them cornered:** _"There's no way out…" mumbled Erza in realization._

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	12. Leap of Faith

**It's Monday! This week: the part with the train. (I feel like that's one of those infamous scenes from the movie.)**

 **Oh, one more thing. This chapter requires an obligatory 'don't try this at home' warning. XD  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"Simon's here?" asked Erza.

"He and his squad are searching the train," she explained. "They've probably got officers on every train leaving Brago."

"For what?" asked Jellal. "I thought the papers you had forged—"

"Don't be an idiot," scolded Ultear, frowning. "It's not about the papers. They're after _us_ …" she hissed.

"For what?" asked Erza. "What did we do?"

"For our little escapade last night. We're _fugitives_."

"Fugitives?" repeated Erza, shaking her head. "Oh, no. No, no, no. There must be some kind of mistake. Fugitives?"

"What did you think was going to happen?" scoffed Ultear. "We broke into a prison and let dangerous magical criminals escape."

Erza's eyes widened. She thought about Sora and Bethie and Sawyer. About Kinana and Erik. It was hard to think of them like that.

"Good thing we were planning on joining up with the Resistance," said Ultear flatly. "The criminal underworld is the right place for unsavory people like us," she said sarcastically.

"Don't worry, Erza. We'll be alright," said Jellal.

"Can we stop talking and start moving?" asked Ultear impatiently, narrowing her eyes at Jellal. Then she turned to Erza and groaned.

"What's the matter?" asked Jellal.

"Her hair sticks out like a sore thumb," said Ultear. "I told you we should have dyed it before we left."

"Right, I forgot," groaned Jellal.

"Sorry?" said Erza. She tugged at her scarlet locks self-consciously.

"Come on, this way. And _try_ not to look too conspicuous," muttered Ultear as she led them towards the back of the train.

Jellal gathered Erza's hair in his hands, tucking it into her jacket. Then he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

Erza tensed at the unexpected contact.

"Sorry," he said quietly. "I'm just trying to make you less obvious. We'll get some funny looks if you wander around with your hood pulled up."

"N-no… it's fine."

Erza stumbled as the train swayed under her feet, but Jellal kept her steady.

"What are you planning, Ultear?" asked Jellal.

"Isn't it obvious? We have to get off."

"You mean jump?" he asked.

"What else?" she said.

"Wait. What?!" said Erza, stopping short. "You are _insane_."

"Erza, _please_ ," said Jellal. "There's no ti—"

"Better insane than dead," interrupted Ultear unsympathetically. She opened the door at the end of the car, the wind from outside rushing inside. "There's no gangway," she reminded them. "We're going to have to walk it."

Erza's heart leapt to her throat. Walk across that?

Undaunted, Ultear stepped catlike onto the metal that coupled the cars together. She inched across it, opening the door on the other side.

"It's fine," Ultear shouted from the safety of the next car. Erza could barely hear her over the clatter of the tracks and the rush of the wind.

Erza looked down, the ground rushing by in a blur. If she slipped…

"I'll go first," said Jellal. Following in Ultear's footsteps, his feet edged along the metal coupling, his arms out for balance. He turned back as soon as his hand found purchase on the frame of the next car. "Take my hand," he called, extending his free hand to her.

Taking a deep breath, Erza reached out for him, ignoring Ultear's impatient scowl. With Jellal's firm grip grounding her, Erza felt a rush of confidence. She could do this…

She stepped out tentatively, her eyes drifting to her feet and the ground beneath the train that shot by so fast it blurred.

"Eyes on me, Erza," called Jellal.

Swallowing hard, Erza nodded. She took one tentative step and then another, her heart hammering against her ribs.

As soon as she got close enough, he caught hold of her sweaty hand and pulled her towards him. To safety.

Erza felt her knees go soft under her.

"Well done," Jellal said.

"We're not done yet," said Ultear.

There was more? Erza let out a dry sob.

Like this, they made their way through three cars, and Erza was starting to feel like an expert. But when Ultear opened the door of a fourth, she shut it again, scowling. The color had drained from her face.

"Talk to me, Tear. What's the matter?" asked Jellal.

"They're searching from both ends," she said in a low voice.

"There's no way out…" mumbled Erza in realization.

"There's always a way out," said Jellal. "Will you do the honors, Ultear?"

Perched on the coupling, one hand braced on either car, Ultear leaned forward to look at the landscape. "I'm going to wait for the bend up ahead," she reported. "It's all grass, so we should survive the landing."

"Now I _know_ you're insane," said Erza, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Would you rather take your chances on this or with the Task Force?" snapped Ultear, her face still ghastly pale. She sounded annoyed, but Erza hear the quiver in her voice. Her knuckles had turned white from her death grip on the cars.

Just like Erza, Ultear was terrified… This realization gave Erza a new level of respect for the other woman, who pressed on relentlessly, despite her fears.

"It's all right. I've done this before," said Ultear with false cheerfulness.

"And you survived?" asked Erza.

"No, I died on impact…" muttered Ultear.

"Your bad experience with trains?" asked Erza.

"Something like that. All right, here we go," breathed Ultear. She looked like she was going to be sick.

Shutting her eyes, Ultear hurtled herself from the train. Like a ragdoll, she rolled through the grass before coming to a stop. Erza's stomach churned, unable to breathe until Ultear pushed herself to her feet gingerly and waved at them.

"You have to do it just like that," Jellal shouted over the wind. "Jump straight out and get yourself as far from the train as possible. Try not to land on your head or your neck or anything. That would probably kill you. And make sure you roll. Sideways," he added. "Did you get all that?"

Erza swallowed hard, her mouth going dry. Land sideways and roll. No, that wasn't right. Roll straight out and land on your head? Not on your head. Jellal's advice was a jumble in her brain.

She was going to die.

"I need you to trust me, Erza," said Jellal his eyes on hers. "Can you do that?"

She nodded, unable to find her voice. Of course, she trusted him.

Jellal pulled his thick cloak off, securing it around her shoulders. "This will keep it from hurting as much when you land. Do you want me to go first?" he offered.

Erza nodded again. At least she'd have something to copy.

"Wish me luck." Jellal jumped, rolling neatly like Ultear did. But when he stopped, he didn't get back up.

* * *

 **That seems like a good place to stop, yeah? XD**

 **Anyone have a guess as to what Ultear's bad experience with trains is?**

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	13. Secrets

**It's Monday!**

 ** **So... you can probably tell by now that we're not doing the whole Rasputin-green-glowing-magic thing. That never really made sense to me. And apparently the Broadway directors had the same thought when they did their adaptation. I borrowed creative direction from their version, and... well, you'll have to see. (If you've read anything about the play, you can probably guess what I'm getting at. If not, I won't spoil it.)****

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Erza waited for a beat, her lungs constricting when Jellal didn't move.

"Jellal!" she shrieked. She jumped after him, heedless of any advice she was given.

Erza slammed into the ground hard, pain jolting through her bones. She rolled down the hill dizzyingly, shutting her eyes against the nauseating swirl of colors.

Erza was dazed when the world finally came spinning to a halt.

Jellal!

Remembering her purpose, Erza scrambled to her feet, lurching sideways on the uneven terrain. She forced herself back up, staggering towards him.

Ultear was already at his side, her eyes wide and frantic. "Sieg?! Sieg, wake up. Stop playing, you fool. Come on, wake up!"

Erza's chest heaved with panic as she rushed over. "Is he…"

Ultear shook her head, her sharp tongue failing her.

"No. Jellal? Jellal! Jellal, _please_ —" she begged.

Jellal cut her off with a groan. "Ow…"

"Jellal!" cried Erza. "You're alive!"

He winced, trying to sit up. "Landing was rougher than I thought it'd be. You ladies make it look too easy," he wheezed.

"Nothing difficult about it," snorted Ultear. "Even Erza made it." She sounded uncaring, but Erza wasn't fooled. Ultear was cavalier now that she knew that Jellal was alright. She had looked downright panicked earlier.

"You're all right?" asked Erza anxiously.

"I'm fine," he assured her. "Just had the wind knocked out of me."

"Three for three," commented Ultear coolly. "I was sure one of us wasn't walking out of that."

"You are _morbid_ , Ultear," said Jellal, shaking his head. He stood up gingerly.

"So, what now?" asked Erza.

"Apparently public transportation is out," said Jellal. "I had hoped to take the train all the way to Magnolia, but I suppose it couldn't be helped."

"Why don't we find a place to stop for the night?" said Ultear. "Then we'll plan our next move."

* * *

It was fortunate that they had managed to stay on the train for as long as they did. It shortened the rest of the journey to Magnolia. The area they had landed in was fairly rural, so it was difficult to tell where they were, but if Jellal had to venture a guess, he would say that they weren't too far away Crocus. That meant that they were more than half way to Magnolia.

This brought its share of advantages as well as drawbacks. Stopping near a town as large as Crocus was dangerous. With all the people, it was much more likely they'd get caught by the Task Force. Fortunately, Crocus was also considerably more temperate than snowy Brago, which meant that it would be warm enough to camp outside with only their cloaks for cover.

They settled in a glade a bit off the main road. Out of sight, but not terribly far away. Ultear decided that it was the best that they were going to get, and Jellal had to agree.

"We're sleeping out here?" asked Erza, looking around with obvious disappointment.

"You're supposed to lead a rebellion," said Ultear poking at the fire that they had started. "And you're afraid of sleeping in the dirt?"

"I'm not afraid, I just… don't really want to," said Erza stiffly, turning away.

"I don't think it's an unreasonable objection," said Jellal. "I'm not much looking forward to camping out here either. Regardless, it's as good a place as any, and we're less likely to be recognized than if we head into town," he said reasonably.

"I would have thought you'd be used to this," said Ultear. "Especially after growing up in a state institution."

"It wasn't an extravagant life, but at least we had beds at Rosemary," said Erza.

"Just what all did they teach you at this orphanage of yours?" asked Ultear curiously.

"All sorts of things. History, current events…"

"So, politics and propaganda," corrected Ultear dryly.

"…arithmetic, geography, literature…" Erza listed the items off on her fingers.

"Useless, useless, _still_ useless…" commented Ultear.

"Ultear!" chided Jellal.

"I'm just trying to be practical," said Ultear. "These skills are all well and good, but none of them are going to help our Eira convince the guild wizards that she can lead a rebellion. I don't have a problem training Erza from scratch, but I wish there was something from her past that might be helpful."

"I hate to admit it, but you're right," sighed Jellal.

"Of course, I'm right."

"I know how to use a sword," offered Erza.

Ultear raised an eyebrow. "And where did you learn this?"

"We learned a little bit back at Rosemary," said Erza, shrugging.

"Why on earth would anyone teach combat skills to a bunch of orphans?" he asked.

"They said it was just for self-defense," said Erza. "You know, protection against wizards if we were ever attacked or if were asked to take up arms for some reason."

"Ignorant," Ultear snorted. "We're the ones who need protection against them…"

"Take up arms?" repeated Jellal. "It might be more than ignorance, Ultear," he said, his mouth turning downwards. "I'd bet they were grooming them as officer candidates to serve on the State Security Task Force."

"That's insane," said Ultear. "Train a bunch of children?"

"He might be right…" said Erza, her eyes widening. "A lot of the boys ended up leaving the orphanage before they came of age."

"Probably transferring into the Task Force's special training program," said Jellal.

"You mean like my friend Simon?" asked Erza.

Jellal flinched. Was she still holding on to that?

"It might be better if you stopped thinking of him as your friend," advised Ultear.

Erza was silent for a long while, a frown creasing her forehead.

"What's the matter?" asked Jellal.

"If that's what was really happening, why didn't I get chosen?" asked Erza.

"Would you want to be?" said Ultear, wrinkling her nose in disdain.

"No, I was just curious," said Erza. "I was just hoping that I was some good at swordsmanship. I used to beat the boys when we'd play," recalled Erza. "And not just because they let me win, either."

"Were you really that good?" asked Ultear. "You might have to show us this. This might be just the thing we need."

"I thought I was good," said Erza. "But now I'm not so sure."

"It is possible that they weren't recruiting girls. There aren't too many female officers on the Task Force," mused Jellal.

"Jellal?" asked Erza quietly. "Do you really think I could be the guild master's missing daughter?"

"…I think it'd be my honor to reunite you with your family," said Jellal, the words gliding from his tongue easily. He was used to these things. Little lies and half-truths. They were a necessary evil, an end that justified the means. They were what had lifted him from the gutters and won him his seat on the council.

Erza simply nodded, a soft, wistful look on her face.

Ultear cleared her throat suddenly. "Well, it's time to get some shut eye," she said, stretching her arms above her head. "I'm exhausted!"

"It has been an exciting couple of days," agreed Erza, breaking out of her nostalgic trance.

"I'll keep watch," offered Jellal.

"Are you sure?" asked Erza.

"One of us should," said Jellal. The day's events left him too anxious to sleep. If he wasn't going to get any rest, he might as well do something useful.

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth," said Ultear smirking. "If Sieg wants to stay up, let him."

"Thank you, Jellal," said Erza, settling into a spot next to the fire. "I'll feel safer knowing that you're watching over us."

Safer? He was the last person she should feel safe around.

"Certainly," he said smoothly, before shooting a glare at Ultear's taunting glance. "Why don't you both get some rest?"

It didn't take long for the girls to succumb to the call of slumber, leaving Jellal alone to watch the fire.

Erza looked so innocent in sleep, her chest rising and falling. Her long lashes against her fair skin. The delicate curve of her cheek.

She was so ready to believe anything he and Ultear told her.

Jellal's raked a hand over his face. If he was honest with himself, he felt a little selfish using Erza like this, even if the ends _did_ justify the means.

And he wasn't just doing it for himself. It was for the greater good, too. If they could bring magic back, they all stood to gain. It would make a better Fiore.

Besides, joining the rebellion would be the best thing for Erza too. It was win-win.

Assuming they didn't get caught, that was. He wasn't sure what he'd do then.

The wriggling feeling in Jellal's gut didn't go away.

Jellal tore his eyes away, looking over at his partner-in-crime.

Ultear didn't seem to be getting much rest either. She tossed fitfully in her sleep, letting out the occasional groan.

Jellal doubted that she was wrestling over the same thoughts he was. Ultear was relentless, and maybe even a tiny bit ruthless at times. She wouldn't be questioning their purpose.

Ultear's restlessness only grew as the night wore on.

She jolted with an incoherent shout, her left arm flailing wildly.

"Ultear!" said Jellal, narrowly avoiding a fist to the face. "Wake up," he urged, shaking her by the shoulder.

With a gasp, Ultear jerked back, her eyes flying wide. Her hands darted to her thighs, fisting the fabric of her pants.

Jellal pinned her hands to keep her from thrashing. "It's all right! It's all right! It's just us. Calm down, Tear. It's just us."

Jellal's voice seemed to get through to her, as the fight drained from her rigid form.

Ultear nodded, swallowing hard. She slumped back, her hands relaxing.

Once he was satisfied that she wasn't going to accidentally hurt anyone, Jellal let her go.

"I've told you not to sneak up on me," she hissed angrily.

"Are you all right?" asked Erza, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"I just… I get these dreams sometimes…" Ultear breathed, her chest still heaving. She dragged an arm across her sweat-covered brow.

"What are they about?" asked Erza gently.

"None of your business," snapped Ultear.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry," said Erza in a small voice.

"No, I… I'm still a little bit shaken. Sorry," said Ultear. She cleared her throat, her voice steadier as she explained, "What I meant is, they're just dreams. They don't _mean_ anything," she said shrugging.

"Do you want to talk about them?"

"That's a kind offer," said Ultear. "But you should really get back to bed. Both of you," she said, shooting Jellal a look. "I'll take over watch, Sieg."

But Jellal didn't move. He waited until Erza had gone back to bed, her breathing evening out in sleep before he turned back to Ultear. "They're about that night, aren't they?"

" _What_?" asked Ultear, a breathy chuckle leaving her lips. "What are you talking about, Sieg?"

"The 'dreams.' They're nightmares," he accused.

Ultear gave him a sharp glare. "What if they are?"

"They're about that night, aren't they? The night of the Purging." Jellal's eyes narrowed. "You were there, weren't you?" he asked slowly.

"You know, I've never asked you about that scar over your eye," said Ultear smoothly, though there was an undercurrent of challenge in her tone. "I'm sure there's a story there."

"Not one worth telling," said Jellal quickly, turning his face to get his disfigurement out of sight.

"I'll leave you to your secrets. Let me keep mine," she said.

* * *

 **Hmm... Everything in this story has some sort of secret. What do you suppose Ultear's is?  
**

 **And from the first part, is it any coincidence that Jellal comes to when Erza's the one calling his name? He may still be struggling with this whole fake Eira thing, but his head and his heart are in two different places.**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, Erza gets magic lessons:** _"What's Requip?" asked Erza._

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	14. Magic Lessons

**It's Monday! This week, a brief respite from all the running and the breaking in and the scary prisons. Finally, a chance for Erza to get to know her new friends** **—and herself** **—a little bit better _._  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

The next morning, they set off on the road again, each of them careful to avoid making mention of the previous night's events.

"It's so peaceful here," said Erza, taking in the open fields of the idyllic countryside. She had never seen anything so pretty and green. Rosemary had been snowy for most of the year. "Do people actually live out here?"

"Out in the middle of nowhere?" Ultear snorted. "As if _anyone_ would want to live out here."

Though she wasn't positive, Erza assumed that Ultear was probably exaggerating. They had passed at least one little farm house, so this place wasn't completely deserted.

Erza wondered if this was the sort of place she would have worked, if she had followed the path that had been planned for her. Instead she was here, with Ultear and Jellal. She was trying to find her own destiny.

"I don't know that I mind it," said Jellal. "It might be nice to get away from it all, go someplace quiet, where no one can find you. No one to tell you what to do."

Ultear's eyebrows shot up. "You, Sieg? _You_ want to go someplace quiet?" she scoffed.

"Is that so strange?"

"It is, considering you're a pompous, bootlicker who lives for attention," said Ultear. "Good morning, Citizen! Well done, Citizen Officer! You've done Fiore proud!" mocked Ultear, lowering her voice to imitate his. She gave an exaggerated bow.

"Please. As if you're any better," huffed Jellal. "You did the exact same thing to get elected. You've been at it nearly as long as I have."

"I thought you were both first-term Councilmembers," said Erza. "How long could you possibly have been doing this?"

"Believe it or not, I'm only a couple of years older than you, Erza," said Ultear.

"That's impossible…" said Erza. The other woman seemed so sophisticated and worldly. There was no way that she'd just reached her majority.

"You might have noticed that Tear has a presence that makes her hard to ignore," said Jellal. "Most people think she's older than she really is. In reality, she's been gaining support for a Council run since before she reached her majority."

"Don't let Sieg fool you," Ultear cut in. "He's only a few years older than we are," she said.

"More than a few!" insisted Jellal.

"Barely," said Ultear.

"That's pretty incredible," said Erza. "When I was at Rosemary, I thought of myself as a child," she admitted.

Ultear and Jellal were barely older than she was, but they were already trying to change the world for the better. The realization made her feel small and insignificant.

"It's different for us," said Jellal, as if reading her mind. "I told you that Ultear and I were orphans too. Growing up on your own teaches you a few things. You learn to do what you have to survive, even if you don't always like it."

"I never had to do anything like that…" said Erza, once again grateful that she had a state orphanage to grow up in.

"Because of Rosemary?" asked Jellal.

Erza nodded.

"What do you remember from before Rosemary?" asked Ultear curiously.

"Not much. Just that they found me wandering near the train tracks," admitted Erza. "I must have hit my head or something…"

"Or maybe whatever happened was so horrific that your brain blocked it out?" suggested Ultear. "That would make sense if you were actually a survivor of the Purging. It was supposed to be pretty horrible. All of that fire…"

Erza remembered fire. Fire and suffocating heat. Acrid smoke. There was confusion and chaos as bodies pressed and pushed and jostled as they tried to escape the building. Escape. Fire. Blood. But then the air was clear and so cold.

"There were these three flares…" she said, nodding.

"Three flares?" repeated Jellal.

Erza gave an affirmative hum. They had rocketed up into the night sky, one after the other, bursting like fireworks. Erza had never seen anything so beautiful or terrifying.

"Are you saying that you remember—"

Ultear cut him off. "But how did you survive? I mean, you would have been, maybe, six years old."

"I think there was a boy who found me…" said Erza absently.

He'd had a confident smile as he took her hand, pulling her from the rubble. Erza waded through her memories, grasping for a face that she couldn't remember.

Jellal blinked. "A boy?" he asked carefully.

Erza nodded. "He brought me to Rosemary…" she mused. "That's what they told me, at least."

"He wasn't an apprentice guard, by chance, was he?" asked Jellal, an odd expression on his face.

"Maybe. Like I said, I don't remember," said Erza. "I couldn't even tell you where he found me or what time of day it was."

"We just have to help you remember," said Ultear. "Starting with your magic. We need to figure out what type of magic you use."

"There are different types?" asked Erza.

Jellal nodded. "Caster magic comes from within a person," he explained. "It's a lot harder to control because it's easy to use on accident."

"Sort of like the little boy with the speed magic. Sawyer," said Erza.

"Quite so," said Jellal. "Holder magic requires an object to use as a focus."

"You mean like in fairy tales? Magic beans and magic lamps? Witches on brooms?" asked Erza, frowning.

"Something like that."

"What type of magic do you use, Ultear?" asked Erza.

"Can you take a guess?" asked Ultear. "You saw me use it the other day."

"Earth magic?" guessed Erza, remembering how Ultear had crumbled the stone and brick of Erik's prison cell. It seemed like the earth itself had trembled when she used her powers.

"Actually, that was the Arc of Time. One of my abilities is to take an object forward or backwards through time," she explained. "It doesn't work on living things, unfortunately."

"So, you… aged the stone so it would crumble?" said Erza. "That's impressive."

"Time was considered to be one of the Lost Magics," said Ultear. "Of course, we're at risk of losing all our magic these days, so it's not that exciting anymore."

"That's still amazing," said Erza. "You said _one of your abilities_. You have more than one?"

"I've learned a thing or two," shrugged Ultear, uncharacteristically modest. "Sieg's the impressive one, though. He's got this uncanny way of learning and imitating other people's magic."

Erza's eyes widened. "Really? Your power is to mimic?"

"My actual magic involves celestial objects like stars and meteors," said Jellal. "But it's not the most useful when I'm trying to be discrete. I've dabbled in a few other styles though, and I tend to pick up on them fairly quickly."

"Can you imitate _any_ magic?" asked Erza.

"There are a few that I haven't figured out, like Ultear's Arc of Time," said Jellal.

"That's a secret and I'm keeping it that way," she said smugly.

"What sort of magic did Eira use?" asked Erza.

"That's a good question," said Jellal.

"The Resistance's second-in-command is a promising ice wizard. His name's Gray. They say he's easy to talk to, and an ice affinity might help you make a connection with him."

"Gray…" Erza frowned, reaching into her memory, trying to catch hold of the insubstantial strands that eluded her. Was he the brother that she never had?

"Does that ring any bells?" asked Jellal.

"I think… I think it might be familiar," said Erza, giving up on trying to imagine a childhood with this long-forgotten brother of hers. "You said he uses ice?"

"That's right," nodded Ultear.

"Do you think I could learn how to use ice?" asked Erza. The question made her feel a little silly, but the concept of magic still seemed so foreign to her. Even if she believed that it wasn't reserved for the powerful few, it was still something that an ordinary nobody like Erza would ever be able to use.

"I know you've got magic, deep inside you," said Jellal. "Using it must have been second nature, at one point. All you've got to do is remember."

Erza frowned. How could she learn to be someone she couldn't even remember?

"You're confusing her," said Ultear.

"Well, what do you suggest?" asked Jellal. "Having her run around half-nude in the snow to try and channel the cold?"

Jellal was being sarcastic, and Erza knew he didn't mean it, but she felt her face heat up all the same.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you, Sieg?" Ultear purred, smirking at Jellal.

 _"Ultear!"_ Jellal sputtered.

"Unfortunately, there's no snow here. Actually, I think I've got something better…" said Ultear.

Erza didn't know what Ultear was talking about, but Jellal seemed to.

"You don't mean—"

Ultear grinned. "What do you think, Sieg? Do you think you could teach her how to use Requip?" she asked.

"It's worth a try. And I think I know enough to show her how it's done," said Jellal.

"What's Requip?" asked Erza.

"It might be easier if I demonstrate," said Jellal. "Why don't we take a break? We've been walking all morning anyways."

"Here?" Ultear shot him a concerned look, her brows skyrocketing.

They were standing in the middle of a pasture, possibly the same one they had been in earlier. It was hard to tell where one grassy field started and the other stopped.

"We're in the middle of nowhere," Jellal reminded her. "Who is there to see us?"

"Anyone who does will surely remember us," argued Ultear. "I doubt they get many travelers here."

"I disagree," said Jellal. "It's a well-known fact that the rural areas tend to be more supportive of the idea of a coup."

"My Resistance contacts tell me otherwise," said Ultear.

"We'll see more independent thought and less influence from the clutches of the New Council."

"Or just more backwards thinking," said Ultear darkly.

"The free State of Fiore has not been kind to its rural Citizens. Poverty's hit harder here than anywhere else. Anyone who sees us will turn a blind eye," Jellal reasoned.

"Do you know how close we are to Crocus? If this gets us caught—" warned Ultear.

"If it makes you feel any better, we can head over to that tree over there," said Jellal.

Ultear huffed but followed Jellal without further protest. Erza did the same, settling at the base of the tree she had pointed out.

"Watch carefully," said Jellal.

Closing his eyes, Jellal extended his left arm. Magic surged from his hand, shifting the air around them. A warm glow engulfed Jellal's fist, shimmering as if it were bathed in the light of dawn. Then, when the light ebbed, Jellal was left with a cluster of snowdrop flowers in his hand.

"For you," he said, offering the flowers to Erza.

"How did you do that?" she asked.

"That was called Requip," said Jellal. "I'm using the back of my mind to connect to a pocket of space in another dimension. I can use it to store things for safe keeping and call them when I need them."

"Like cheap flowers for parlor tricks," said Ultear.

"How do you know what you're calling?" asked Erza, playing with the pristine, white petals absently.

"You can only call things that you've put into the pocket. So, you sort of have to know what you have to work with. It's like feeling for your clothes when you're getting dressed in the dark."

"But how is this supposed to help me?" asked Erza.

"You said you were good with a sword, right?" asked Jellal. "If you had one, you could call on it. You could even call on a full suit of armor if you wanted."

"We'll have to get you an ice sword. Then you'll be able to use ice magic," said Ultear. "Then you and your brother will have something to talk about."

"That makes sense. Can you show me again?" asked Erza.

Jellal demonstrated the technique a few more times with different objects before Erza finally nodded.

"All right, I think I'm ready," said Erza.

Jellal bent over, picking up a sizable branch. "Pretend this is a sword," he told her. "And remember. Focus."

Erza cleared her mind, taking a deep breath. She concentrated on the branch in Jellal's hand. She felt it with her mind, learned its shape and form. Then she pulled at it with an unfamiliar part of her.

The branch disappeared.

Erza gasped, blinking.

"Now call for it," urged Jellal.

Concentrating, Erza reached within her psyche for that pocket of space that Jellal had described. She imagined the stick materializing in her hand. Then, with a flash of light, her would-be sword came into fruition.

"I did it!" gasped Erza, her eyes widening. "I used magic!"

"There, you see?" said Ultear. "Easy."

"I knew you could do it, Erza," said Jellal. "That was wonderful!"

When the shock wore off, that was when Erza realized it. Using magic had felt _right_. Almost like she had reclaimed a part of herself that she never knew that she had lost.

Maybe she really was the daughter of a guild master.

* * *

 **Now, we're getting somewhere. Yay for Ultear being Jerza shipper #1! XD**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, a brief interlude:** _"Can I get the cake instead?" asked Erza, her eyes lighting up hopefully._

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	15. Crocus

**It's Monday! And you'll never guess where I was last week...** **New York City! Totally got to walk down Broadway and see where the theater where Anastasia the Musical is being performed. I didn't actually go and see the show. I was there for work, so I was with a bunch of my coworkers. (And they're all older men, so it would have been really awkward trying to get someone to go with me. That's the downside to traveling with people from work. I can't be like, oh, let's go shopping, y'know? It's just weird.) So w** **e sort of just walked by.**

 **The group decided to get drinks and dessert instead, which was well worth it. (That's the good thing about traveling with people from work. When I'm by myself, I end up getting takeout and eating up in my hotel room. As much as I enjoy food, I'm not that picky. I guess I don't have a super refined palate, or anything. But folks from work? We've got some Super Foodies in our group, and they know where to go and what to order.) We ended up at this really ritzy restaurant, where I got this amazing chocolate tart with a ridiculous amount of (edible) glitter across the top. A-mazing! Probably not as amazing as a Broadway show, but pretty close, I would say.**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

It took nearly five days for the group to make it to Crocus, the biggest city in Fiore. More centrally located than Brago, it would make an ideal capital city someday. In fact, with the recent development in Brago, Jellal had no doubt that it was only a matter of time before the capital building was relocated here.

"This is Crocus?" asked Erza, her eyes wide with wonder. "It's even bigger than Brago is!"

"You act like you've never seen a city before," said Ultear.

"Well, this _is_ my first time away from Rosemary," said Erza. "The only other place I've seen is Brago. Is Magnolia going to be as big as this?" asked Erza.

"Thankfully, no," said Ultear.

"It's a little smaller," said Jellal, feeling a smile spread across his face. Erza was so serious most of the time, but there were moments when she seemed almost childlike. Her innocence was endearing.

"Like the farms from earlier?"

"Maybe just a little bigger."

"How much further away is Magnolia?" asked Erza.

"Not too much farther," said Jellal, protectiveness surging in his chest. He couldn't help but feel responsible for her, though that was likely just because he was the one who had taken her from her home in Brago.

"Are we walking the rest of the way?" she asked. "Please tell me we're not."

"I was thinking we could take a bus," said Jellal. "Have you ever taken a bus before?"

Erza shook her head. "A bus? I've seen pictures though. How long will that take?"

"About a day," said Jellal. "Much faster than we could get there on foot."

"If I recall, we should be able to get on here and take the 57 all the way to Acalypha. There's another bus that goes to Magnolia, but it only runs twice a week," added Ultear. "If we're lucky, we'll be able to take that. If not, we might have to walk the rest of the way. But it's not far."

"Why don't we stop for a bite to eat, first?" said Jellal. "I think we've certainly earned it."

"We're going to be recognized," said Ultear, shaking her head in disapproval. "We were safe out in the pastures, but here? We're asking for trouble."

"Don't be paranoid, Tear," said Jellal. "Who would recognize us all the way out here, so far away from the capital?"

"In case you've forgotten, Crocus is the largest city in Fiore. You would think that someone would recognize their public officials," hissed Ultear. Then she paused. "Then again, people are harder to recognize than you would imagine," she added softly.

* * *

"Do you know what you're going to get yet?" asked Jellal.

They had picked a small café without too much traffic. Jellal had wanted to treat the girls to something nicer, because it was Erza's first time away from Brago, but Ultear had put her foot down, worried about drawing too much attention.

"I don't know how to pick…" said Erza. "Everything looks so good."

"You can order whatever you want," said Jellal. "You don't have to hold back."

"Can I get the cake instead?" asked Erza, her eyes lighting up hopefully.

The shyness in Erza's voice made him pause and look up from his menu at her.

"I don't need anything else if you'll let me have that. Please?"

Jellal blinked. "Why don't you get both?" he asked. "Cake _and_ actual food. You're allowed, you know."

"Really? Is that okay?" asked Erza, her brown eyes round and anxious.

"Why not?" said Jellal. He didn't understand what the big deal was. Of course, he had been on the New Council for so long that the idea of wanting for anything was a distant memory.

"Did either of you ever meet Eira?" asked Erza after they had given the waiter their orders and were waiting for their food to arrive.

Ultear shook her head. "Not too many people would have. I suppose that's why everyone finds this so mysterious and intriguing."

"I only ever saw her once," said Jellal. "And I was kind of far away."

That wasn't untrue, exactly.

"What did she look like?" asked Erza.

"She was pretty, I think," said Jellal.

Ultear's lips twitched with a smile, meeting his eyes across the table.

"What? We were fourteen! At least, I was," protested Jellal.

"I'm not judging," said Ultear, smirking. "Go on, tell your story. Erza's waiting."

"Well, Eira… She was a good bit younger than me. Since we were in Brago, I imagined her to be a little bit of an ice princess. She looked a little bit like you," lied Jellal. Hazy memories made it impossible to remember anything, but Jellal was sure Erza had been there that night.

"Really? I would have imagined an ice princess to have lighter hair…" said Erza, frowning.

"I remember you very clearly," insisted Jellal, ignoring the feeling welling in his stomach. He wasn't sure he recognized it. Was that… guilt? Of all times, why now? And why guilt, of all things?

"You do?" asked Erza.

Jellal nodded. "Yes. Do you remember me?" he asked, forcing the feeling back down.

The words felt wrong, but he was numb to it. What was another lie on top of all the others?

Erza shook her head. "…no. Maybe if I close my eyes…" she added hopefully.

"It doesn't matter," said Jellal. "It'll come to you eventually. I'm sure it will."

"I hope you're right," said Erza. "Oh, food's here!"

They ate without speaking, nothing but the clinking of forks on plates to break the silence.

Erza had gone right for the cake, wasting no time on the rest of her meal.

"How is it?" asked Jellal.

Erza gave a blissful sigh, her eyes slipping shut. "I have never had anything so amazing in my life!" she squealed.

Jellal smiled fondly.

"It's just cake," said Ultear.

"Yes, but it's not," said Erza. "At Rosemary, cake was only for special occasions, like Independence Day. Having it was sort of a big deal."

Erza's innocent comment was eye-opening for Jellal. These were things that he took for granted. She may not have grown up on the street like he and Ultear did, but Erza was no princess. Had seen her own share of struggles and hardships.

"Maybe this is _my_ Independence Day," whispered Erza, a smile lighting up her face. "My freedom…"

Jellal felt his breath catch. She was so sweet. Erza was so pure… so naïve. Was it really fair to use her this way?

* * *

After they finished lunch, they prepared to head out again. Erza closed her eyes, wanting to memorize this perfect moment.

"I'll go and buy us tokens for the bus," said Ultear.

"We'll wait for you here," said Jellal.

Ultear shot him a pointed look. "Don't you have other business in Crocus?" she asked. "Like making a very specific purchase?"

"You're leaving that up to _me_?" asked Jellal.

"I'm sure you're more than capable of handling it on your own," said Ultear, smirking.

"Where's Jellal supposed to go?" asked Erza. She dropped her voice to a whisper as she picked up on the tone Ultear favored when talking about magic in public.

"To, ah, a shopping district for items of a specific nature," said Jellal. "Items that are, erm—"

"Someplace where we _don't_ buy dangerous things that we know nothing about," interrupted Ultear briskly.

"Oh, one of _those_ places," said Erza, recognizing Ultear's euphemism for magic. "For a moment I thought it was something seedy and dangerous."

"That would be how most would describe it, yes," agreed Jellal. "In fact, it's probably best if you _don't_ come along…"

Erza's shoulders slumped. She was a little disappointed that she wouldn't get to see more of this underground world of magic, but she trusted Jellal's judgement. If he thought it would be better for her to avoid—well, wherever it was that he was going—then she'd be fine with it.

"You can come with me, then," said Ultear.

"Actually, would it be okay for me to look around Crocus?" asked Erza.

Jellal and Ultear exchanged concerned glances.

"I won't wander too far," said Erza.

"Let's meet back here in half an hour, then," Jellal suggested.

"Be careful, both of you," said Ultear.

Erza wandered the main streets of Crocus, looking at the displays behind glass. There were so many lovely things that she'd only ever dreamed about: a pair of earrings with diamond-shaped pendants, a golden hair ornament, a fine gown that was too good for the likes of her. What really caught her eye was a heavy two-handed sword sporting a decorative guard in a winged motif. What she wouldn't give for a sword like that one!

Erza wondered what it would be like if things had been different. If the Purging had never happened, and she was still with her family. She'd be the daughter of a renowned guild master, and she'd practice magic every day. She'd have two brothers who loved her. They'd play with practice swords and eat cake on each other's birthdays.

As part of the guild, she'd have friends, other children just like her. But they'd all have grown up using magic. They'd have been a loud and rowdy bunch, her friends at the guild. And her father would love them like they were all a family.

Family…

It still seemed a little fantastic. Sort of like a dream. A fairy tale. But Erza longed for that daydream to be reality.

Too lost in her own thoughts, Erza turned a corner, almost walking into the last person she expected to see in Crocus.

* * *

 **Who do you suppose it is? We'll find out next week!  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** ** _:_** _"Erza, you're breaking my heart…" he whispered. "Do you even understand the kind of trouble you're in?"_

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	16. Simon

**It's Monday! I left you on a bit of a cliffy last time, so let's pick up where we left off.  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"Simon…" breathed Erza, taking an involuntary step backwards.

"Erza?" he asked. "Is that really you?" Simon's eyes were as kind as they had ever been, but his features had grown serious. He looked so mature and different.

"I thought I'd never see you again," she said softly. Her mouth twitched, lips trying to decide between smiling and frowning.

"Neither did I…" he said. His smile was gentle and warm.

"How are you, Simon?"

"Fantastic. After I left Rosemary, they recruited me for the State Security Task Force. They even made me an officer!" he said proudly.

Erza fought a cold shiver. It was just as Jellal had said, then. Simon was one of _them_.

"That's… _great,_ " said Erza, trying to keep her voice from faltering. "So, you serve the State now?"

Simon frowned, dark brows drawing in confusion. "We all serve the State, Erza. Each to the best of their ability?" he asked with a frown.

"Right. I forgot," said Erza dumbly. "Each to the best of their ability," she repeated. Reciting the motto of the free State of Fiore made her feel like she was in school again. Back in a classroom at Rosemary Orphanage.

Except Simon was no longer her friend.

She couldn't trust him anymore.

She was a fugitive and he was supposed to bring her in.

"That's not the kind of thing you forget," said Simon, sounding concerned. "Erza, what's the matter?"

"I didn't mean that I forgot," said Erza. "What I meant was…"

Simon's jaw tightened. "What are you doing out here?" he asked suddenly, his eyes hardening.

Erza gulped, taking another step backwards. Her back pressed against brick. "I'm… visiting family. In Magnolia." She blurted out the story that Ultear had given her without thinking.

" _Family_ ," said Simon skeptically.

Her orphanage playmate was the wrong person to use that excuse on.

"Simon, I…" Erza shook her head, breath catching in her lungs.

Simon shook his head, lips parting in disbelief. "My God," he breathed, dragging a hand over his face. "It was you. You're the one who… who broke into that prison…" he faltered.

Erza flinched, still shaking her head. "No. No, I…"

"I saw you. You and your red hair," he said, his voice low. "Tell me it wasn't you…" he begged.

Erza didn't try to deny it. She couldn't. She had never been able to fool Simon, even back when they were children.

"Erza, you're breaking my heart…" he whispered. "Do you even understand the kind of trouble you're in?"

"Do you know what _you're_ doing?" she challenged softly. "Who you're actually fighting for? What your actions are doing to innocent people, Simon!" she burst out, her voice rising shrilly. "I don't think you understand what—"

"You're the one who doesn't understand. How could you side with them? I don't even know you anymore," he spat, his eyes flashing with disgust.

"Simon. Simon, _please_."

" _Don't_ ," he choked, his hands shaking. "I can't stand to hear your treason. I thought… I _never_ thought… Oh, Erza…"

"We're finished, Erza. I didn't mean for it to take so long." Jellal rounded the corner, a bag in his hand. He stopped short when he saw them. "Oh, Citizen Simon, fancy seeing you here," he said, as if he were casually greeting a neighbor in the town square.

Simon's eyes widened in realization as he looked from Jellal to Erza and back. "Citizen Siegrain," he hissed.

"Hello, old friend," said Jellal. "What brings you so far East?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Citizen Ultear and I are here on New Council business," said Jellal. "We ran into Citizen Erza who was headed for—Magnolia, was it? She was traveling alone. Of course, I couldn't let her do that. I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I did. You know how dangerous it is these days," said Jellal lowering his voice. "Rebels and wizards and unsavory people," he said with a shudder. "What about you? You're a long way from Crocus."

"I have a warrant for this woman's arrest. She's a dangerous criminal and known Wizard Sympathizer. I'm bring her back to Crocus, along with her accomplices."

"That's a serious charge," said Jellal, frowning. "Are you certain—Ultear, over here," he called, waving the other woman over.

"Where have you been, Sieg?" she asked irritably. "I've been waiting for fifteen minutes and—what's going on here?" she asked. "What brings you to Crocus, Citizen Officer?" she asked Simon, sounding genuinely curious.

Erza was amazed at how quickly Jellal and Ultear slipped into their New Council personas.

"Apparently our new friend, Citizen Erza, is a suspected Wizard Sympathizer," said Jellal with a concerned frown.

Ultear snorted. "Now, I've heard everything!" she exclaimed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It's far-fetched, I'll grant you, but Citizen Simon has his reasons for his suspicions, I'm sure."

"I saw her the night of the prison break in Brago. There's no mistaking that hair of hers," insisted Simon. "She was with two accomplices. A man and a woman," he said, narrowing his eyes at Jellal and Ultear.

Jellal's smile wavered, but Ultear didn't miss a beat.

"Citizen Officer," said Ultear, her voice dipping with condescension. "This is probably obvious, but… have you _asked_ Citizen Erza if she was there that night?"

"She didn't deny it," said Simon.

"That's hardly evidence. As a Task Force Officer, you should know that," said Ultear.

"Erza," said Jellal seriously. " _You_ didn't force your way into Brago Penitentiary, did you?"

Erza shook her head, not missing Jellal's careful phrasing. _She_ hadn't forced her way into anything.

"So, you didn't release any prisoners by magical means?" asked Jellal. "Be honest now."

"It wasn't me," said Erza honestly. Ultear had been the one to do that.

"There you have it," said Jellal. "I think that sounds conclusive, don't you, Tear?"

Ultear smirked. "Agreed. Hopefully, that satisfies the Officer. Unless you've got evidence to the contrary?" she asked.

For a moment, Simon just blinked, looking from Jellal to Ultear. "You two…" said Simon, shaking his head in slack-jawed disbelief. "I should have known you were behind this!"

"What on earth are you talking about?" asked Jellal, with a puzzled frown.

"I suspected something was wrong when you disappeared the day after the prison break. And now I know that I was right."

"What are you on about, now?" asked Ultear impatiently.

"Does this have something to do with us being in Crocus?" asked Jellal. "I told you. We're on New Council business."

"Stop involving her in your schemes," snarled Simon. "I've known Erza since we were children and she's not like this."

"I'm afraid I still don't understand. What does this have to do with Erza?" asked Jellal.

"You're using her!" shouted Simon.

"Are you quite all right? You sound upset," said Ultear. "You know you really shouldn't get worked up. It's not good for you. We'd hate for something to happen to you. Wouldn't we, Sieg?"

"Is that a threat?" asked Simon through gritted teeth.

"Goodness, no," laughed Ultear. "Just an observation," she said, her voice suddenly steely. There was a glint of something dark and hateful in her eye that made Erza shiver.

"You don't mind if I verify your story?" challenged Simon. "About being on New Council business?"

"Of course not," said Jellal smoothly. "Verify away. You can even ask the Council Chair if you'd like."

Simon's jaw tightened.

"If there's nothing else, I think we should be going. We do have places to be, you know," said Ultear. "Were we all finished here, Citizen Officer?"

Simon's lips tightened in displeasure. "All finished," he huffed.

"Come along, Erza," said Jellal, reaching for her. He pulled her to his side, draping an arm around her shoulders.

"Good day, Citizen Officer," said Ultear, her voice saccharine sweet.

"It was good to see you again, Simon," Erza offered in a small voice. She could see the conflict in Simon's eyes as he met her gaze.

Simon opened his mouth to speak. Then he shut it again, shaking his head. "I wish I could say the same," he said finally. Then he heaved a sigh. "I don't know what the three of you are doing, but it doesn't look good for any of you. You're playing a dangerous game. If you know what's good for you, Erza, you'd steer clear of these two."

Erza waited until Simon disappeared down the street to breathe a sigh of relief. "Thank you for that," she said. "I thought that… that Simon had caught me."

"No need to thank us," said Jellal. "You're Eira, and it's our responsibility to get you back to your brothers."

Erza smiled softly.

"You're getting sloppy, Sieg," said Ultear. "You've never had to call for me to diffuse a situation before."

"Excuse me for wanting my partner to back me up," said Jellal.

"Simon's an idiot," said Ultear. "You shouldn't have _needed_ my help at all."

"Does the Council Chair really know you're here?" asked Erza.

"No," admitted Jellal. "But by the time Simon verifies that, we'll be long gone."

"You do realize you have ruined our chance of returning to the New Council, yes?" Ultear pointed out.

"It's as you said, my silver tongue hasn't failed me before," said Jellal. "I'm sure I can get Simon to grant us immunity. Besides, the New Council wouldn't want to arrest their most popular members over unproven accusations and hearsay, would they? Would anyone take the word of some overeager Task Force officer over the people's hero?"

"As long as you know what you're doing," said Ultear.

"Trust me, it'll be fine. You'll see."

"You were both so good at…" Erza trailed off, grasping for words. Lying? Acting? Neither of those were particularly complimentary.

"Bluffing?" suggested Ultear with a smirk.

Erza nodded. "That."

Jellal frowned, unexpectedly silent.

"It takes practice," said Ultear. "Something you learn when you work on the New Council."

"That's not something to be proud of," muttered Jellal.

"Would you really have hurt him?" asked Erza.

Ultear shook her head. "…Probably not. But he doesn't know that."

Probably?

Erza frowned. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease. There was something about Ultear that was starting to make her feel a bit uncomfortable.

* * *

 **Ooh, Sirza! Actually, no. As much as I'm intrigued by the idea of Simon and Erza as a ship, this would be the most awkward and horrible situation to get together in. :P**

 **Any guesses as to what's up with Ultear? Hint: it's highly plot related, going back to my promise that she'd be a real character and not just someone along for the ride.  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, we arrive in Magnolia (finally!) and encounter some familiar faces, starting with Miss Hospitality, herself (guess who?):** _"Not at all! Make sure you work up an appetite. Not to brag, but I make a mean pot roast! That's tonight's special."_

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	17. Welcome to Mirajane's

**It's Monday! And today we finally get to Magnolia. :)  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

As they continued their journey, Erza was pleasantly surprised by how lush and green the rest of Fiore was. It didn't snow all the time in Brago, but the winters were long and harsh. The more temperate climates of the western part of Fiore were a much appreciated change.

After hiking across the seemingly-endless countryside, the bus was a much appreciated change too. The first bus, from Crocus, took them to Acalypha, a small town on the outskirts of Magnolia. A second took them into town.

"So, this is it? We're here?" asked Erza as soon as she had stepped off the bus.

"This is Magnolia, yes," said Jellal.

"And the Res—my family is here?" Erza asked, correcting herself.

Ultear gave an approving smirk. "Soon," she said. "I think we should find someplace to stay the night. We can track them down tomorrow."

"Is it safe?" asked Erza. She was starting to know the right questions to ask, pleased to have earned Ultear's approval. She could tell that Ultear wasn't the most patient person, and there were times when Erza got the impression that the other woman wasn't fond of her.

"As long as you know where to go," said Ultear.

"And I'm guessing you do?" asked Erza.

"Ultear knows everyone there is to know," said Jellal.

"Just follow me," said Ultear.

Ultear lead them to a small pub on the far side of town. It was a dingy little place and they had walked past it twice before Ultear pointed it out.

"Clever," said Ultear. "They're hiding in plain sight. We're staying here for the night."

"Are you sure about this, Tear?" asked Jellal.

"Sure enough," she said, leading them into the pub.

Erza was surprised by how small the pub was. From the outside, it had looked much bigger. The only patrons were a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair and a distinguished moustache and his companion, who was puffing away at a pipe. They were hunched over a chessboard at one of the three, round tables that had been crammed in the tiny room.

"Welcome to _Mirajane's_!" greeted a cheery voice. An attractive woman with fair hair waved at them. Judging by the apron that she wore over her skirt, she was probably a waitress or a bartender. She was followed by a giant of a man, who was probably also part of the staff.

"I'm Mirajane. What can I do for you today, Citizens?" the woman asked.

Jellal saluted politely, pressing his fist to his chest. "We're travelers looking for a meal and a place to stay for the night," said Jellal. "Perhaps you'd be able to point us in the right direction, Citizen Mirajane?"

"I can help you with the meal," said Mirajane. "But if you're looking for a place to stay, you should check with the local inn. We're all full-up here, unfortunately."

Erza couldn't help but find that strange. Surely an establishment this big had rooms to spare, especially since there were only two people in the dining room.

Erza wondered if Mirajane took on long-term boarders. Or was she using the rooms for something else?

"Thank you, Cit—" started Jellal, before Ultear interrupted with a loud tsk.

"I see," said Ultear. "Is the master in?" she asked coolly.

Mirajane stiffened, turning towards Ultear mechanically. " _I_ own this pub," she said. "I run it with my brother, Elf. It's just the two of us," she added, nodding at the burly man in the corner.

 _Elf?_ It was an awkward name for the hulking man.

"What a shame," said Ultear, continuing as if she hadn't spoken. "I was hoping to speak with him. He and I have business."

"Who should I say is asking for him?" asked Mirajane quietly, her blue eyes taking a guarded cast.

Ultear gave a cryptic smile. "Just someone who's felt the flames at Brago," she said.

Erza wasn't quite sure what that meant. It felt like the women were speaking in code.

"What do you know about that?" asked Mirajane. "Isn't Brago cold this time of year?"

"Always," said Ultear. "Yet the flames burn hot for those who still believe."

But then Mirajane nodded. "You're always welcome at _Mirajane's_ , friends," she said with a soft smile. "You know, we _do_ have a couple of spare rooms, though they really weren't meant for boarders. But Elf and I just _couldn't_ turn you away. We'd be happy to put you up for the night if you don't mind the humble accommodations."

Ultear smirked, shooting Jellal a superior look.

"It shouldn't be a problem at all," said Jellal. "We've all had our fair share of simpler lodgings, haven't we… _Eira_?"

Erza blinked, taking a moment before she recognized her new alias. The name sounded odd in Jellal's voice. She wondered if she'd ever get used to it. For some reason, she could only ever think of herself as Erza.

But any hesitation she felt must not have been obvious. At least, not to their hostess.

Mirajane's eyes widened, her face a study in anticipation. "Is this _her_?" she breathed, leaning forward to get a closer look at Erza.

Normally, Erza would feel scrutinized or nervous. She didn't like attention from strangers, but Mirajane had such a genuine aura that didn't make her feel uncomfortable at all. Erza couldn't help but feel like they could be good friends.

"It's nice to meet you," said Erza. "You have no idea how happy I am to be here."

"We're glad that you came," said Mirajane. "We've waited for such a long time! And the Masters—that is, your brothers—will be so glad to see you again."

 _Brothers_ … the word still made Erza feel warm inside whenever she heard it.

"You must have had a long journey!" continued Mirajane. "I'm sure you'd like to get some rest."

"We _have_ come a long way," said Ultear.

"All the way from Brago," said Erza.

"Not to be difficult, but is there a place to practice and train?" asked Ultear. "It hasn't been easy to keep up with Eira's lessons, with the need for discretion. Having some time to prepare to reunite with her family might put her mind at ease."

Mira nodded in understanding. "Around back. I have the property warded, so it'll be safe there. Why don't you practice while I finish making supper?"

"That will do nicely," said Ultear.

"Thank you," said Erza. "That's very kind."

Mirajane beamed at her. "Not at all! Make sure you work up an appetite. Not to brag, but I make a mean pot roast! That's tonight's special."

"That sounds delicious," said Jellal.

"Fantastic! I'll shout when it's ready."

* * *

 **Mira's the first of many people we'll get to meet now that we've arrived in Magnolia. But let's hold off on that for a chapter and get a little Jerza lovin'.  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, Erza gets armored and Jellal gets embarrassed:** _"Well, that was too close for comfort, wouldn't you say, Sieg?" purred Ultear._

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	18. Frost Empress

**It's Monday! And what better way to start off the week with some sweet, sweet Jerza.  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Jellal still wasn't sure what had happened, but he and Erza followed Ultear out back, where they wouldn't be heard by Mirajane or her brother. He picked his way across the grassy lawn.

"That was easy enough," said Ultear. "We can talk here."

"What did you bring us back here for?" asked Jellal. "What are you up to?"

"Me? Up to?" said Ultear. "Perish the thought!"

"Tear…" he said, his voice dipping low in warning. Her innocent act wasn't fooling him. He didn't miss how deliberately Ultear had steered the conversation and forced their new hostess to provide them with training grounds.

"What's going on, Ultear?" asked Erza.

Ultear smirked. "Jellal has a present for you," she declared.

"What?" sputtered Jellal, not entirely sure why his heart had leapt to the back of his throat.

Ultear nodded. "The one you bought in Crocus. Remember?"

"Ah, that…" faltered Jellal. He gave Ultear a dirty look. He knew he had to present Erza with his purchase eventually, but he hadn't been expecting this.

"What _did_ you buy in Crocus?" asked Erza curiously.

"It's a surprise," he said lamely.

"For me?" asked Erza.

Jellal looked away, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "I suppose you could say that," he said.

"What is it?"

"It wouldn't be much of a surprise if I told you that," said Jellal.

"Stop teasing her, Sieg," purred Ultear. "I swear, it's so sweet it's making me sick."

" _Ultear!_ " Jellal hissed, heat rushing to his face. "It's not like that," he muttered.

"Just keep telling yourself that," said Ultear.

Jellal sighed, turning to Erza. "So, Ultear and I were thinking…"

"Don't blame this one on me," said Ultear, making Erza laugh softly.

"Go on," encouraged Erza, even as the smile tugged at the corners of her pale-pink lips.

"So, _I_ was thinking…" said Jellal. "Just… here." He pressed the paper bag at her, forcing his gaze away.

Erza reached in, pulling out a fistful of shimmery fabric and a left shoe. "What is it?"

"Well…" started Jellal. He kept his eyes trained to the ground.

" _Men_ ," snorted Ultear. "We talked about getting you some ice armor, remember?" she said to Erza. "It was about time we got you some real equipment to work with. It's called the Frost Empress," she said. "Sieg picked it out," she added.

"Well, try it on. Let's see if it fits," muttered Jellal, his tongue heavy and uncooperative.

Erza ducked away with the bag in her hand, retreating back inside. She came back a short while later, her cheeks dusted with a faint blush.

Ultear laughed, earning another scathing glare from Jellal.

"Well?" asked Jellal, trying very hard to ignore his mischievous partner.

"I think it fits okay," mumbled Erza.

"Aren't you going to show us?" said Ultear.

"…Do I have to?" asked Erza.

"This is what you're going to be wearing when you make your debut," said Ultear. "We have to make sure it looks all right."

"If you insist." Erza looked wary, but she closed her eyes.

Magic energy surged around her as warm light bathed her. When she emerged from the curtain of light, she wore a long, draped skirt made of a gauzy fabric. A long slit in the front ran high up her thigh, revealing enough skin to make Jellal blush. But that was nothing compared to the dark bandeau top that left her midriff bare. On her feet, she wore shoes with leather lacings that crisscrossed up her calves. A fur trimmed cloak graced her shoulders, completing the wintry look.

Jellal couldn't help but stare. His heart leapt to his throat and he had to remind himself to breathe.

"Does it look strange…?" asked Erza anxiously, her hands fisting at the skirt.

"No…!" he choked. "Not at all."

"It suits you," said Ultear. "Doesn't it, Sieg?" she purred.

"It's great. Perfect. I mean, the way it fits," he blurted. "I mean… That's not what I meant…" Jellal shut his mouth with a snap. He had debated men twice his age when he was on the New Council, but Erza had rendered him speechless with a _dress_.

Ultear snorted.

Erza laughed softly, looking radiant. She had no _idea_ what she was doing to him.

"There's just one thing missing," said Ultear. "Well, go on," she said to Jellal.

He nodded, reaching into his Requip space, as he had shown Erza before. He drew out the sword he had selected for her. Then he held it out to her with both hands.

"I'd like to present you with Eirlys. It means silver snowdrop."

Erza's eyes widened with delight. "I accept. Thank you," said Erza, her voice tinged with awe. She held tightened her grip on the hilt of the sword, checking the balance as only a warrior would.

Jellal couldn't believe how right it looked in her hand. Like it belonged there. It was almost as if this was what she was born to do.

Not long ago, she was a sheltered orphan girl, with no past and no future. He had yanked her into a world of politics and deceit and she had handled it valiantly. Now, even Jellal would believe that Erza was descended from one of the guild masters of Old Fiore. It was as if this was the life she was meant to lead.

She played the part well. Maybe almost too well. Was this really all pretend? Or was she the real Eira?

There were moments where he couldn't tell if they were pretending or if snatches of Erza's memory were really coming back.

There was a nasty voice at the back of Jellal's mind that reminded him that it was all just a game. _None of it was real._

But Jellal couldn't explain the way his chest tightened when he saw her. And how he could barely breathe whenever she was around.

It felt real.

Erza felt real.

"What do you say to a quick round of sparring practice?" asked Ultear. "You'll need to get used to that sword if you intend to use it."

"Are you sure it's safe?" asked Erza. "I mean, Mirajane seems nice enough, but…"

" _Mirajane's_ is the Resistance HQ," interrupted Ultear impatiently.

"This?" asked Jellal skeptically.

"Assuming my sources are accurate," said Ultear.

"It looks like an ordinary bar to me," said Jellal.

"There are plenty of safehouses here in Magnolia, but this pub is where the Resistance members conduct their business. It's safe," she insisted.

Erza nodded. "If you think it's safe, then it's a fine idea," she said. "I appreciate the offer."

"Not against me," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You know my time magic would only melt your ice, and that would hardly be fair. Sieg, why don't you work with her tonight?"

"What?" choked Jellal.

"After that last run-in with Simon, I think it's better to be safe than sorry," said Ultear. "Besides, you're taller and heavier than I am. You'd be a more realistic opponent."

Jellal couldn't argue with that. "But what am I supposed to use?" he asked. "She's got the Eirlys blade."

"You can use this," said Ultear. She pulled a dagger from the folds of her cloak and chucked it at the ground near his feet, the silvery blade embedding itself in the dirt.

"Do you always keep those on you?" asked Erza, her eyes wide.

"Self-defense," Ultear shrugged, acting like it was nothing at all. "I think you should too, especially with the Task Force prowling about."

"You could hurt somebody with those," Jellal complained, frowning.

"That would be the point, wouldn't it? This is why I tell you not to sneak up on me, Sieg," she said coolly.

Jellal shot her a sour look before turning to Erza. "Shall we get started?"

Jellal bounced on the balls of his feet, Ultear's dagger gripped tightly in his fist. He waited for Erza to take the lead, wanting to assess her combat skills. The sound of metal on metal met his ears as their blades collided. Erza moved in for the first blow, swinging her sword in a wide arc.

Erza had told them that she was good with a sword, but Jellal wasn't prepared for just _how_ good she was. She spun and parried, blocking his blows easily. Watching her was like a work of art. The longer blade gave her greater reach, but she lacked the speed and close-quarters agility that he enjoyed with Ultear's dagger.

"You're holding back on her," called Ultear from behind him. " _Actually_ let her have it."

"Is that all right?" asked Jellal. "Can I pick up the pace?"

Erza nodded solemnly, adjusting her grip on the hilt of the sword. "Yes."

Jellal raised his dagger to strike. But before he could move, a glint of silver soared past Jellal's head from behind. Erza struck it down with her sword, capturing it in ice. It was a dagger that matched the one he was using.

" _Ultear_!" scolded Jellal.

"Just making sure she was paying attention," said Ultear unapologetically. "And she did fine. Have some faith in her."

"Do you have any more of those things?" hissed Jellal.

He could hear the smirk in Ultear's voice as she answered. "Wouldn't _you_ like to know, Sieg?"

Jellal sighed, shaking his head. He turned his attention back to Erza. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Come at me."

Jellal raised his dagger again, leaping towards Erza. She rushed him with equal force, meeting his blow with ferocity. Jellal staggered backwards, but Erza gave him no time to reclaim his balance. She charged him, forcing him to give up ground with deft swings of the Eirlys blade.

But he had the advantage of size. Jellal advanced, driving her back against a tree, but her blade held his at bay. Jellal's wrist faltered against the pressure, his dagger yielding to Erza's Eirlys. It clattered to the ground as Erza forced it from his hand.

Slowly, Erza lowered her sword, her eyes locked on his. She caught her lower lip between her teeth as she looked up at him, her face flushed from exertion.

His heart pounded, leaving no other sound but the pulse in his ears. Jellal leaned in, face hovering inches away Erza's. Her breath was warm against his cheek.

What was he doing?

"I think… we've practiced enough today," Jellal breathed, his chest still heaving.

"Hmm, yes. I… I think you're right," said Erza, her voice small.

"I should… probably go."

"I'm going to… change out of this."

"Hm. Yes."

Another beat of silence before Jellal released Erza.

She gave him another lingering look before disappearing back in to the pub.

"Well, that was too _close_ for comfort, wouldn't you say, Sieg?" purred Ultear.

"Her skills are quite formidable," Jellal admitted.

"That's not what I was talking about," said Ultear. "I saw that. Towards the end there. You two were awfully… _close_."

Jellal kept his expression neutral. "I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, please, you couldn't take your eyes off her."

"Don't be silly, Ultear. You're imagining things," said Jellal.

And even if she weren't, he and Erza… it just wouldn't work!

"Do you want to stop?" asked Ultear. "It's not too late to come clean with her."

"No," said Jellal. "We stick to the plan. We convince the guild wizards that we've found the real Eira. We help them overthrow the New Council."

That was what it had always been about. He couldn't stop now.

No matter what it cost.

* * *

 **Erza's back where she belongs. We've got Gray and Natsu and Lucy next week, so excited!  
**

 **Everything's coming to a head and it all comes down to this.  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, more familiar faces, namely Gray. And Natsu and Lucy.**

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	19. The Eira Interview

**It's Monday! This week, the big reveal: Gray. And Natsu and Lucy. And some other stuff.  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

 _Mirajane's_ was nothing spectacular. To anyone else, it was just another hole-in-the-wall Magnolia pub. But to those who knew where to look, it was much more. It was a secret that was shared with friends of friends and passed through underground magic communities.

All were welcome at _Mirajane's_. From that perspective, it wasn't a surprise that _Mirajane's_ attracted so many displaced wizards seeking refuge.

The fact that _Mirajane's_ had become a hub for Eira-imposters was also unsurprising. But of course, when Mira had reported that there was another girl—the third one this month—who might be their foster sister, Lyon had insisted that they waste no time and meet with this girl for themselves.

They met the girl and her companion in the War Room. That was their nickname for one of the private meeting rooms at the back of the pub. The excitement died from Lyon's eyes as soon as he saw her. Still, he waved for Gray to continue.

So, Gray did. Again.

"So… you're Eira," said Gray. He'd done this interview so many times he knew it by heart.

"Sure," said the girl. "But these days, I go by Lucy."

"Okay. Lucy. What do you remember from the Purging?" asked Gray.

"Hey, man," interrupted Lucy's friend. He scowled, fisting his scarf in annoyance. "Don't you think she's had a hard enough time without you getting all personal?"

"Relax!" said Gray. "It's just a question. Why don't you let her answer it?"

"It's okay, Natsu," said Lucy.

Natsu huffed, crossing his arms.

"But he's right, though. I honestly try not to think too much about it," Lucy told Gray. "It's kind of awful, right?"

Typical dodgy answer from someone who wasn't there and couldn't get the details right.

"Okay…" shrugged Gray. "I guess that's fair. But what makes you think you're Eira?" he challenged.

"Even when I was growing up, I had a special connection with magic," said Lucy. "It was always everywhere and all around. I mean, that's kind of how I found Natsu."

"So, what kind of magic do you use?" asked Gray.

"Oh, all kinds," said the Lucy confidently, reaching for the key ring at her hip.

Gray frowned, exchanging a glance with Lyon. Eira should have been a user of caster magic. She shouldn't have needed a magical object, like a holder magic user would.

Lucy flourished one of her keys in the air, making a girl appear in a puff of smoke.

"Did you need—Oh, you have friends," the summoned girl mumbled. She buried her face in her wooly, pink collar.

"This is Aries," said Lucy. "Aries, these are my—hopefully—brothers."

"H-hi…" said Aries, wringing her hands.

"Yeah, hey," said Gray flatly.

Lucy waved Aries away. "So, what did you think?"

Gray was thoroughly unimpressed, to say the least. "Don't you have anything closer to snow or ice?" he asked Lucy.

"Well, I've got this little guy too," said Lucy, calling for another summons with a different key. "He's kinda like a snowman. Pretty cute, right?"

Gray watched as the little creature toddled across the floor. He waddled up to Gray and started kicking him in the shins.

"For goodness sake," Lyon muttered.

"Hang on, hang on. I can do water!" she said desperately, fumbling for another key. "That's almost like ice."

"I've seen enough," Lyon sighed. He got to his feet with a grunt, limping his way out of the room.

Gray bit back his own sigh of annoyance. He didn't blame Lyon for being disappointed.

Lucy was no Eira. Far from it.

"Wait! I can still—"

"Lucy," interrupted Gray. "You're not her."

"How do you know that?" Natsu demanded.

"And _you_ know that, don't you?" said Gray softly, ignoring Natsu.

"Yeah…" Lucy sighed.

"But... Luce, what are you saying?" Natsu asked. "What do you mean you aren't Eira? I thought you said—"

"He's right, Natsu. Sorry," she sighed. "My mother was a celestial wizard. Back before the Purging. Before the Task Force invaded our town. She wasn't a guild master or anything like that. But she was still pretty awesome."

"I'm sure she was," said Gray. "But why did you show up, claiming to be Eira when you're obviously not?" he asked, shaking his head.

"Was it really that obvious?" asked Lucy, squirming guilty. "I've always wanted to be part of a guild," she admitted. "Someplace where I could be myself and be with others like me."

Gray sighed. He wasn't happy with how Lucy had conducted herself, but he could understand the need to belong. The need for a home. After all, he was no different before Ur and Lyon took him in.

"You still can be," said Gray. "If that's what you really want."

"Really?" Lucy's eyes lit up hopefully. "You mean I can stay?"

"Just because you aren't Eira doesn't mean you're not one of us," said Gray. "All are welcome at _Mirajane's_."

Natsu shook his head, annoyed at this turn of events. "Come on, Luce. Let's get outta here. We're better off on our own. Just you and me," promised Natsu. "We don't need no stinkin' guild."

Lucy looked at Gray, then at Natsu, as if trying to make up her mind.

"Are you sure?" Lucy asked Natsu. "You're not mad at me for not being honest with you about not being Eira?"

"Nah, I couldn't be mad at you," said Natsu with a toothy grin.

"All right," said Lucy, shooting him a grateful smile. "Let's get going then."

"You're sure?" asked Gray. "You're both welcome to stay."

Natsu nodded. "Five more minutes and I'll probably rearrange your face," he said shrugging.

Gray coughed a laugh, biting back the retort on his tongue. The guy was honest if nothing else. "All right. I'll have Elfman show you out, then."

Gray watched as Elfman escorted the blonde girl and her rambunctious friend out of the pub that served as Resistance HQ. "Well, that was a disaster," he sighed.

"Disaster is an understatement," commented Lyon.

"It's a shame, 'cause I kinda liked her," said Gray. "I wish she would have stayed. We totally would have taken her in, even if she wasn't Eira."

"Yes, but can you imagine how much destruction her foolish companion would have caused?" asked Lyon.

"Yeah, well… Him, I would have punched in the face," conceded Gray.

"I was so sure this time," said Mira.

"It's not your fault, Mira," sighed Lyon.

"I believed too. We all did," agreed Gray.

"Well, next time, we'll get it right. I'll make sure of it," said Mira optimistically.

Gray shook his head. "I don't think so," he said.

"Gray, don't be like that. _Please_ ," begged Mira. "Next time, I'll get it right. I promise. There's another girl who—"

"No, there won't be a next time," said Gray. "This ends here. We can't waste any more time on this. I'm sorry, Mira."

"So, you're giving up? Just like that?" demanded Lyon. "Have you no faith?"

"Listen, man. I want to find her as much as you do. But we gotta face the facts. Ur is gone, and her daughter is too. We're on our own and no amount of faith can save us from the New Council."

Lyon bristled. "Look, I know she's out there!" he insisted. "Don't be such a pessimist!"

"I'm just being a _realist_."

"What will that mean for the Resistance? For the people who are counting on Eira to lead us to victory?" asked Lyon heatedly.

"You and I both know that we have no chance of overthrowing the New Council, Eira or no Eira. It was a lost cause from the get-go."

The feverish light in Lyon's eyes dimmed. "And what would you have me do?" he asked softly. "Tell everyone we've given up? That there's no hope? Should I surrender to the New Council, maybe?"

"I didn't—" Gray broke off with a sigh. "I didn't say that. But we can't keep on deluding ourselves. And _you_ can't keep on doing this."

Gray knew full well that Lyon had a tendency towards single-minded obsession. They'd always joked that it would be the death of him. After Ur had died, Lyon had taken her place as leader of their group. He led their group all over Fiore as he continued her quest to find her missing daughter.

At times, Lyon's obsession pushed him beyond the limits of human endurance, and now he was paying the price for it. Sometimes Gray was sure that the only things keeping Lyon going were his obligation as a leader of the Resistance and the painkillers that had become a constant in his life.

Two years ago, Gray finally put his foot down. He could no longer ignore his foster brother's deteriorating health. Eira or no, they were staying put. And so, the Resistance found themselves setting up a more permanent center of operations in Magnolia when Gray started shouldering some of the guild's leadership responsibilities.

Gray's only regret was that he hadn't done it sooner. Despite how Lyon grumbled about it, even he had to admit that this arrangement was for the best.

"You really don't think we have a chance?" asked Lyon.

"Our chances of beating the New Council are about the same as they are of finding the real Eira," said Gray.

"Well, in that case—" Mira piped up helpfully.

"He means the odds are slim to none," Lyon told her gently, his hunched back slumping in defeat.

"It would take a miracle," said Gray. "At that point, we'd be better off abandoning this idea and going into hiding. We can go to Bosco. They're still friendly to wizards."

"You want to go out there and tell everyone we're running with our tail between our legs?" challenged Lyon.

"Unless _you're_ volunteering," retorted Gray.

"We can't!" cried Mira.

"What else is there to do?" asked Gray.

Lyon frowned, his mouth pressed into a thin line. "Maybe… it is time to give up," said Lyon softly, the idea of admitting defeat clearly distasteful.

"Look, I'm not saying we have to give up without a fight," said Gray.

"And we will," he said. "With or without Eira."

"You're not planning on winning this one, are you?" asked Gray.

" _You're_ the one who said that it would take a miracle," Lyon reminded him. "Don't worry, Gray. I do know my limits."

Gray snorted, giving his foster brother a dubious glance.

"This will be our last stand," promised Lyon.

"And after that?" asked Gray. Though Lyon's intent was clear, Gray wanted to hear him say it.

"What? Oh, you mean when we lose?" asked Lyon, his lips twisting in a sardonic smile. "Then we move the Resistance into hiding. We'll retreat to Bosco, where they won't find us. Happy?"

* * *

 **The plot thickens... :)**

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment of _Journey to the Past_ , or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	20. Harmless Little Lies

**It's Monday! And my favorite part of this story is just starting.  
**

 ** **So I guess we've got some stuff to talk about. Where do I even begin? XD****

 ** **I purposely left you guys without proper author's notes after our big reveal last chapter. As many of you have figured out... Erza's not actually Eira. And I guess this isn't what it all comes down to. Oh well, that chapter was posted on April 1st anyways. ;)  
****

 ** **I always wondered what would have happened if they got the wrong girl. What are the odds the conman and his sidekick would accidentally come across the real Anastasia while trying to find a proper impersonator. A little research turned up accounts of all the young women who popped up claiming to be Anastasia. That's what actually inspired this story.****

 ** **But don't worry. It works out.**** ** **It'll just take a little longer to get there.**** ** ** ** **Which is why this story is only half-over. We have another 20 chapters forthcoming. But that's okay. Jellal and Erza will be even stronger because of this little setback! :)******** ** ** ** **  
********

 ** ** ** **Oh, yeah. Reminder that I took liberties with characters' ages. There's a flashback that'll throw you if you've forgotten.********

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

The pub had closed up for the night and Ultear was sure that Mirajane and her brother had gone to bed.

Ultear crept out of her room, careful not to wake Erza. She stole down the hall, her footsteps soft like rain. Her days on the New Council hadn't erased the muscle memory of growing up on the streets of Brago.

Ultear knocked on Jellal's door. Hopefully, he was still awake.

Jellal opened the door frowning at her. "Ultear?"

"Hello to you, too," she said, pushing past him and plopping down on the edge of his bed. "I think that went well," declared Ultear. "Her magic is coming along nicely. One look, and the guild wizards will _have_ to accept her."

Jellal gave a vague hum of acknowledgement.

"What's wrong with you?" asked Ultear. "Don't tell me you're having second thoughts again. We're so _close_ , Sieg! A little more practice and—"

"No," said Jellal. "Erza doesn't need more practice. She needs to remember who she is! She's the real thing, Ultear!"

Ultear blew out an irritated breath. "Are you sure about that?" she asked, trying to keep her tone in check.

"Of course," said Jellal. "She was there that night. She remembered the three flares."

Ultear resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

Simpleton! There were many wizards there that night, the night of the Purging. _Everyone_ saw the flares.

She, too, had been there.

Ultear would never forget that night.

* * *

Smoke was thick in the air as she ran.

"Hold on to my hand! Eira!"

Mother's hand slipped out of hers.

"Mama!" she cried, stumbling as her stubby legs tried to catch the departing train.

"Eira!" Mother shrieked. Mother leaned further over the guard rail that wrapped around the end of the train, reaching as far as she could.

Mother's student climbed over the rail, down the three little steps that led to the platform at the end of the caboose.

"Lyon, what are you doing?! Get back here!"

He hung off the side of the train, stretching to reach her. "Eira! Take my hand!" he shouted.

"Lyon!" she cried, trying to grab on. But her stubby, little legs simply couldn't keep pace.

"Try again," he urged, dangling precariously off the railing of the last car.

She strained and reached, trying desperately to catch hold of his hand.

Mother's student lunged, letting go of the railing all together, nearly tumbling off the back of the car. "I got you!" he shouted, catching her by the arm. "Don't let go," he said. "I've got you. Just hold on," he said.

"My hand's slipping!" she said.

With a grunt, Mother's student yanked her off her feet with both hands, staggering from the momentum. He bent his knees to brace himself as the train lurched. "You okay?" he panted.

Eira nodded, swallowing at the lump of emotion in her throat. She buried her face in to the crook of his neck.

"Eira! Lyon!"

"We're okay," he shouted. "I got her."

"Thank goodness," said Mother.

The train rounded the bend with a sudden jerk. Lyon stumbled, cursing loudly.

And Eira found herself falling. Falling, falling, tumbling into the snowy bank alongside the tracks.

Mother shouted her name.

Eira picked herself up, but the train carrying her mother was already disappearing down those endless tracks.

It was all his fault. He'd dropped her. And now Mother was gone.

They'd come back for her, wouldn't they? If she sat and waited, surely, they'd come back.

Snow fell as she waited. She waited and waited.

By the next morning, Eira's eyes had filled with hot tears. She could no longer deny the truth. They'd left her behind.

* * *

"Trust me, Ultear. She's the real thing," insisted Jellal. "She's Eira."

"Of course, she is, Sieg," purred Ultear.

Erza was the real thing, all right. She was about as genuine as Ultear's intentions.

Mother's precious student. Her 'brother.' She'd make him pay for what he did. It was his fault that she had ended up alone, that she grew up on the street, barely scraping by! Mother had abandoned her and chosen to love him instead. She hated him. She hated them all, Lyon and Mother and the new boy, Gray, too. But mostly Lyon.

Mother was dead, but she could still kill mother's student. And she'd make him pay for what he did to her. This was his fault.

Ultear's hand found the handle of the dagger that she always kept handy, smiling to herself.

Lyon deserved what he had coming.

* * *

Just a little lie. That's all it was. A harmless little lie.

"Are you ready _yet_?" demanded Erza.

"Nearly," said Jellal absently.

Erza had come pounding on his door at the crack of dawn. Apparently, she had been too excited to sleep last night, and she had been waiting anxiously for daybreak, so she could finally be reunited with her brothers.

Jellal squinted at the mirror that he didn't need. He applied the liquid concealer with practiced strokes, as he did every morning. Normally, he started with his left eye, hiding the scar that marked his past. A souvenir from the night of the Purging.

But today he started with the tattoo over his right eye. Some days he regretted getting the tattoo, a permanent reminder of who he had chosen to become and the lies he told because of it.

Jellal smeared the flesh-colored cream into the dark mark with his fingers, as if trying to wipe it away, even though he knew it wouldn't come off.

A lie on top of a lie.

Finishing up with his right eye, Jellal moved back toward his left. His hand stilled when it came over his scar.

Some days he wondered which one the real lie was. The scar he chose to keep covered or the tattoo that heralded his skin-deep allegiance to the New Council.

Of course, he'd be returning to the New Council after this. For soon, it would all be over.

They had made it to Magnolia. They had located the Resistance, thanks to Ultear. And now all that was left to do was restore Erza to her brothers.

Through the mirror, he watched as Erza traipsed around the room. She'd pace for a little while, then smile to herself, then sigh and start pacing again.

The thought of saying goodbye made his chest ache.

Jellal couldn't understand why the prospect of parting ways with Erza bothered him so much. He had known this was what would happen from the start.

But things had been _different_ when they first started. Erza had been a means to an end. A way to coax the Rebellion into action so he could profit from the chaos. Now, Jellal didn't know that he cared about that anymore.

If anything, he'd rather they _didn't_ try to overthrow the New Council. It was too dangerous, and he didn't like the idea of Erza being involved in something like that.

But how could he tell her that? Would he say that all of this was mistake? That he had been lying to her this entire time? That they had come to Magnolia under false pretenses? How could he shatter her dreams like that?

She seemed so excited. So alive. Her cheeks flushed with excitement. Erza practically glowed at the prospect of meeting these boys who might be her brothers. For once she'd have a home. A family. A place to belong.

He wasn't about to take that away from her, even though he wished that place was at his side. He could give her all of that. Though it was nothing extravagant, the life of a council member was a comfortable one. He could give her the home she'd always dreamed of. He could be her family. She belonged with him.

How could he tell her that he wanted her to stay?

He couldn't.

No, it was best if he stayed silent.

It was best for her. It was best for him. It was best for everyone. He wouldn't say a word, no matter how much it hurt.

"All right, I'm finished," he said.

Erza looked at him curiously. "You're leaving it like that?" she asked. "You don't have to rush on my account," she added guiltily, her eyes dipping downwards.

Jellal chuckled, tracing the scar tissue with his fingers. "No, it's fine. There's no need to hide it. Not anymore."

Erza blinked at him curiously, frowning as she tilted her head.

"Does it bother you to see it?" asked Jellal gently.

"No, I just… It reminds me of…" Erza trailed off, shaking her head. "Never mind. You don't mind if other people see?" she asked.

"It might be time for the truth," he said. Then he sighed, his tongue flicking out to dampen his lips. "Erza, I—"

"What?"

Jellal tore his gaze away, to keep himself from saying something he'd regret.

"…I think it's time to go and meet up with Ultear. And for you to meet your real family."

Erza would have her family and he'd go back to the New Council. And that would be goodbye.

* * *

 **Cringe. This is starting to look like a bit of a train wreck. You know the kind where you can't look away. (I love stories like that! XD) Jellal's in a tough position as it is, trying to figure out how to tell Erza the truth. But once Erza finds out that she's not really Eira and she really doesn't have a family and... yeah, let's pile on top of that. XD** **As you can see, we're not going to ease up on the Jerza drama just because we're throwing Ultear into the mix as the real Eira.**

 **Let's talk about that for a sec. This week's his week's big reveal: Ultear. Remembers. _Everything._ Considering all that she's done in the beginning of the story, she's quite the piece of work. Did anyone suspect her? (Hey, I said I wanted her to be more than the largely ignorable side-kick that Vlad is to Dmitri. There you go.) I figured that if I was going Council Jellal, I absolutely had to go Council Ultear, who happens to be pretty messed up in the head, if you remember the Tower of Heaven arc. And now _we_ know, but Erza and Jellal still don't. We're going to have some fun with this one. :)**

 **Now, you might be thinking to yourself: "Hold up! Jellal remembers the Purging too. He remembered seeing Eira across the room when they were children. How could he possibly think Erza's the real Eira when she's a redhead (and the real Eira was obviously not)?!" There are a couple possibilities, but one that I've been hinting at (or more correctly, hiding) in Jellal's narrations. Care to take a guess? XD The explicit reveal will be in next week's chapter.**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, Jellal tries to help Erza meet her 'real family'.**

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	21. Which Brother?

**It's Monday! Today we have the calm before the storm as Ultear continues to play her sinister little games.** **Now that you know what to look for, her oh-so innocent comments in earlier chapters will start to take on a whole new meaning.**

 **Guest : Yay, I managed to surprise you! :) When Ultear said that she had a bad experience with trains, she meant it. Thanks for reviewing!**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"Good morning, all! Did you sleep well?"

"Good morning, Mirajane!" said Erza. "Everything was fine last night."

"I'm so glad to hear it," said Mirajane.

"Have you seen Ultear?" asked Jellal. Aside from Mirajane, there were only two others in the pub this morning. The man with mustache was still here and so was the one with the pipe. He would have thought it was too early for drinks, but apparently not. Maybe they had stayed the night too?

"Ultear? Is that the woman you were traveling with? She left a little bit ago, but she told me to tell you that she'd be back soon," said Mirajane.

"Once she's back, you'll introduce us to the Master, right?" asked Erza.

Mirajane looked away. "Actually, the Master isn't seeing anyone today," said Mirajane stiffly.

"Is that right?" asked Jellal. He could tell the insincerity in those words as soon as they had been spoken. He'd lied often enough for that.

Erza's face fell. "I suppose that can't be helped. Maybe another day?"

"I'm sorry, sweetie," said Mirajane. "Why don't I fix you some breakfast instead? I make the best flapjacks in town."

"Really?" asked Erza.

"No question," the man with the mustache said. "Mira's cooking can't be beat!"

"Oh, hush!" scolded Mirajane lightly before turning back to Erza. "What do you say? I have some butter and syrup you can pour over them. I think I have some preserves, too."

"What kind?"

"Hmm… Strawberry, I think."

Erza perked up at that, ushering Jellal to one of the tables. "Well, what are we waiting for?" she asked.

Mirajane had just brought out their food when Ultear strolled into the pub.

"Good morning! Shall I bring out another plate?" asked Mirajane.

Ultear waved her off, her excitement evident. "You'll never guess what I heard, Sieg!" declared Ultear.

The man with the pipe glanced over, watching them carefully.

"Aren't you looking chipper today?" said Jellal. "Mirajane says—"

"Wouldn't you rather hear what _I_ have to say?" asked Ultear. "I have _fantastic_ news."

"Fantastic?" echoed Jellal.

"Fantastic," repeated Ultear. "But not here, let's not interrupt everyone's breakfast. Erza, do you care if I borrow Sieg for a little bit?"

"Go ahead," said Erza.

"We'll be back soon," said Jellal before her followed Ultear out the back of the pub. "What's going on, Tear?" asked Jellal, his voice quiet, even though he didn't think anyone would be able to hear them.

"I poked around Magnolia this morning," said Ultear.

"A fine idea," said Jellal. "Discover anything noteworthy?"

"I was hoping to learn something about Eira's brothers. And I heard something interesting," said Ultear.

"Well, I hope your news is better than mine," said Jellal. "Mirajane said that Eira's brother is denying our request for audience. And after we've come all this way."

"Which one?" asked Ultear slyly.

"Which one, what?"

"Which brother?"

"Does it matter?" asked Jellal.

"It most certainly does!" said Ultear. "The Resistance's second-in-command, Gray, is the pragmatist. The word is that Gray has given up on the whole Eira rumor. Some say that he never really believed in it, in the first place."

"But _he's_ the one you always talk about," said Jellal.

"He was _supposed_ to be the reasonable one," said Ultear. "Plus, he's closer to Erza's age. I thought he'd be more sympathetic. But that doesn't seem likely, at this point. Our best bet is actually the older brother."

"And that would be whom, exactly?"

"The older brother, Lyon."

"Lyon?" repeated Jellal. Why was that name so familiar?

"Lyon is a bit of an idealist. A _fanatic_. He's not the most patient man, but if you can bend his ear, he should be agreeable to the idea of meeting with you."

"You mean 'us'?" asked Jellal.

"I mean 'you'. I did the legwork this morning. Now it's _your_ turn to be useful, Sieg," said Ultear in a patronizing tone.

"Charming. Sometimes I wonder how you manage to hold elected office," muttered Jellal. "So, how exactly am I supposed to know which brother is which? I haven't met either of them."

"Gray's hair looks like mine and—"

"And so does Erza's! Don't forget that I'm colorblind, Tear," said Jellal.

"Lyon's got hair like snow. It's not particularly common. Enough to work with?"

"That'll do," said Jellal. Colors tended to look muddy and similar, but dark and light shades tended to be distinct enough. "Where can I find this Lyon?"

Ultear preened, looking smug. "This took some real detective work. Lyon's a man of habit. He does the same things at the same times every week. Today's Wednesday. He'll be at the Wave Café at 11:30 for lunch. He never misses that appointment."

"Sounds like Erza and I should join him for lunch," said Jellal.

"My thoughts exactly," said Ultear.

"Well done, Tear. I'm impressed."

"I thought you'd say that," she said smugly. "Well, let's go and tell Erza the good news."

"I'll let _you_ do that," said Ultear.

"Me? Why me?" asked Jellal.

"Because she trusts you. And you're sweet on her," said Ultear. "Ah! Don't deny it. I'm letting you be her hero."

"That's… surprisingly thoughtful of you," said Jellal. "You aren't usually so agreeable."

"I know how much you love to be loved," said Ultear wryly. "Don't try to deny that one either."

Jellal huffed a sigh, but he didn't argue. Erza would finally have a chance to meet with her brothers. That was all that really mattered.

He schooled his features as he and Ultear rejoined Erza in the dining area.

"Is everything all right?" asked Erza.

"Good news," said Jellal. "We'll still see your brother today."

"Really?" asked Erza. "But how? I thought Mirajane said—"

Jellal silenced her with a finger to his lips. "Ultear pulled some strings," whispered Jellal.

"Thank you…" breathed Erza. "You have no idea how much this means to me," she said, giving Ultear a soft smile.

Ultear shrugged. "I might as well put my connections to some use, right?"

"So, when do I get to see him?" asked Erza, pushing her still-full plate away.

"Finish your breakfast," said Jellal.

"I'm done," she said. "Let's go. Where are we going?"

"We're meeting him for lunch at the Wave Café," said Jellal, unable to help the twinge of guilt he felt. The lie slipped off his tongue more easily than it should have. "We still have a few hours."

Erza pouted. "That long?"

"Why don't we train out back until then? I'm sure he'll want to see how strong you've gotten since the last time you met," suggested Ultear.

"That's an excellent idea," said Jellal. "A demonstration of your… special skills wouldn't hurt. After you finish your breakfast," he added.

Erza pulled her plate back, slathering the remaining pancakes with strawberry preserves.

* * *

 **Poor Erza is so excited to meet her 'brother.'**

 **And yes, Jellal is colorblind. When we hear the word colorblind, we normally think of when individuals can't tell red and green apart, but that's just one type.** **In Jellal's case, he has the sort of color vision deficiency where reds look like browns or blacks (** ** **protanopia)**. Sometimes severe head trauma (like the blow that Jellal got during the Purging) can cause issues with a person's vision; there have even been accounts where color vision is affected. Granted, I haven't found anything on getting protanopia through a head injury, but I'll assume it's possible.  
**

 **It was really hard for me to avoid using colors as descriptions during Jellal's narration; I think I removed them all, but I may have missed a couple.** **One of the girls I went to school with had Color Vision Deficiency. (It's a misconception that colorblindness is limited to men, though it is far less common is females.) I asked her about it, and since I was genuinely curious, took out a large box of crayons and started pulling different ones at random and putting them in a pile. "These all look the same color to me," she said. What really threw me was when I saw that she had some orange crayons in her pile, so I picked up another orange one from the box (I think it was a lighter shade) and asked her if it was the same as the others. Apparently, it wasn't.** **The way she explained it to me, she knew that the sky was blue, but if you asked her to color a picture with a sky, she wouldn't be able to identify a blue crayon, even if she had another picture of a blue sky to reference. 'Blue' to her looked just like a different color, and the only way to tell them apart was to read the labels. She tended not to describe anything in colors since 'blue' didn't mean anything to her, so I figured that Jellal might be the same way.**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **:** _Jellal's gaze was gentle. "Why wouldn't I be? Erza, this is reason to rejoice. You're going to be reunited with your brothers. There's no need to be nervous."_

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	22. The Wave Cafe

**It's Monday! We're going to start to give Gray and Lyon a little more attention. It's only fair since Ultear's plotting against them.  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Gray could hear Lyon's uneven gait as he made his slow way down the hall. His adopted brother had good days and bad ones. From the sounds of it, this was a bad one. A really bad one.

Lyon hobbled into the kitchen, easing into his chair with a groan.

Gray gave a sympathetic wince. "Is your hip bothering you again?" he asked, setting a glass of water on the table. He couldn't help but feel responsible for the way things were.

Lyon shook his head, reaching for the plastic canister on the table without being prompted. Gray could hear how empty the container sounded. He'd need a refill soon.

"My knee's a little stiff this morning, that's all. I'm fine." Lyon dumped two white pills into his palm with an expression of distaste, knocking them back with the water.

"A little?" scoffed Gray.

The idiot was trying to play it off again. His prescription didn't always agree with his stomach, so it must have been bad if he was taking his morning dose without complaint.

"I think you should stay off it today," said Gray.

"I can't. Toby's back from Clover Town and he owes me an update."

"I think you should stay off it today," repeated Gray.

"Your concern is noted," said Lyon, still massaging his knee.

"And?" pressed Gray.

"And I have to meet Toby today."

Gray let out a noise of exasperation. "No, you _don't._ I'll meet with Toby," said Gray. "You just stay here and try to get some rest. Leave everything to me."

"I'm not an invalid," grumbled Lyon.

"You will be if you keep this up. Seriously. Back to bed. I'll take care of things in town."

"Make sure you ask him if he's heard anything about—"

"I _know_. How long have I been doing this, Lyon? Just let me handle it."

"Like you handled the incident at the theater?" asked Lyon dryly.

"That was one time!" Gray protested. "Besides, that little troll was so annoying you would have wanted to murder him too! He's lucky I didn't."

"On second thought, I'll go myself," said Lyon. "Once the pain relievers start working, I shouldn't have too much trouble."

"You're just _asking_ for trouble."

"Honestly, Gray. I'm fine." Lyon hoisted himself to his feet with a wince. "Besides, Toby will worry if I don't make an appearance. You know how he gets."

"Toby'll understand," said Gray firmly. "I'll tell him you said 'hey.'"

"That won't be necessary. It really isn't that bad today. I just need a minute," said Lyon.

Gray gave an incredulous sigh, shaking his head. "Seriously. If you don't quit, I'm gonna strangle you. Now sit down."

"Wouldn't that defeat the purpose?" asked Lyon, looking slightly amused.

"Yeah. So, don't push me. _Sit_ ," snapped Gray, scowling.

Lyon deflated as Gray refused to back down. He eased himself back into his chair, a sigh of relief escaping him as he took the weight off his bad knee.

"Thank you," Lyon muttered, refusing to meet Gray's eye.

He'd never say it, but Gray knew Lyon was secretly grateful for someone to share the title of Guild Master with. It was a lot of work for anyone to shoulder, even without the additional stress of all this Eira nonsense.

"Sure," said Gray. "Do you need anything else while I'm out?" asked Gray.

Lyon had good days and bad ones. On really bad ones, Gray was reduced to playing errand boy. That was the least he could do.

"Would you mind picking up lunch?"

"Okay. But only because I'm in a generous mood," warned Gray. "Don't get used to it."

But there was no heat behind his words. This was his fault, after all. If he had forced the stubborn idiot to stop letting his obsession consume him, then maybe none of this would have happened.

* * *

Erza ran her hand through her hair.

This was it. They were outside the Wave Café, waiting for her brother. She wondered what he'd be like. He'd certainly be kind and patient. Maybe a little protective.

He'd want to know all about her and what he'd missed over the years. And she'd want to get to know both of them. She hoped they'd be what she expected.

What if they weren't what she expected? Or what _she_ wasn't what they expected? Would they send her away?

She gave a sharp inhale, fisting her shirt in her hands.

Why had she agreed to this? What made her think she could be Eira? She was just Erza. A nameless little nobody from Rosemary Orphanage.

Maybe this whole idea of home and family wasn't meant to be.

But how she wanted it to be! She had never longed for anything as much in her entire life.

"What's the matter?" asked Jellal.

"I'm nervous," admitted Erza.

"Don't be. You'll be fine," he said, reaching for her hand.

"What makes you so sure?"

Jellal's gaze was gentle. "Why wouldn't I be? Erza, this is reason to _rejoice_. You're going to be reunited with your brothers. There's no need to be nervous."

"What if they don't like me?" she asked. She started to pull her hand away, but he held tight, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze.

"They'll like you," said Jellal. He laced his fingers through hers.

"What if they don't?"

"You're Erza Scarlet. Of course, they'll like you."

"Oh, Jellal," she breathed.

His hand in hers gave her strength. Never had she felt so supported as she did now.

Erza Scarlet.

When she left Rosemary Orphanage, Erza hadn't been sure what she was supposed to do with herself. She was a nameless nobody with no past and no future.

But Jellal had given her a name. He had helped her connect with her past. And now she was about to meet the family she only ever dreamed of.

Erza smiled to herself. She had never felt as strong or sure of herself as she did right now. She knew she couldn't have done it without him.

"Jellal…" she started.

Jellal sighed. "Erza, I…"

Erza looked up, her breath hitching in her throat as their eyes met. The silence between them buzzed with anticipation.

"You first," he said.

"I just wanted to say… thank you… for everything you've done for me," she said quietly.

Jellal grimaced.

"What's wrong?" she asked quickly.

He shook his head, his mouth pulling into a wistful smile. "Nothing. Just… good luck, Erza. I know you can do it," he whispered.

* * *

 ** **Erza just can't catch a break, can she?** That is not the right fake-brother! Gray is the one coming and that's not good.  
**

 **Speaking of, I'm not sure if it's clear, but Lyon's not that old in this one. He's got the same 7ish years gap with Gray that he would have had Post-Tenrou. I just figure he has some mobility issues due to what I'm going to call 'a career-ending injury'. Think about an athlete - with as hard as they train and as rough as they get during games, it's not unheard of for them to injure themselves badly enough to get put out of commission, even if they're still pretty young.**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, Erza gets her heart broken (twice) and Jellal has regrets:** _How had he gotten himself into this mess? It was one lie, then another._

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	23. Gray

**It's Monday! This was a fun chapter to write, mostly because I'm a sadistic author who revels in her characters' misery. XD So much heartache going on here.**

 **One of the characters comes across a little bit mean here. Don't get too mad at him. It makes sense because of what he's been through and partly because... well, that's how the movie goes. (Yes, I'm blaming the movie...) XD**

 **Lily-ana : Gracias por tu correo! Lo mejor está por llegar. :)  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

He had taken her hand to keep her from fussing. That was all. But he was surprised at how perfectly her delicate fingers had fit into his hand. And he certainly hadn't expected the pull of longing in his chest as she gazed up at him through those thick lashes of hers.

Erza was all wide-eyed innocence and blind trust as she looked at him. She had so much faith in him that it made him sick to his stomach. She deserved so much better than this.

But the thought of letting her go made his chest ache.

It just wasn't _fair_.

How had he gotten himself into this mess? It was one lie, then another. And with each one he told the next became easier and easier until he lost track of what it was that he really wanted.

Except now he knew.

He wanted Erza.

But it was too late.

Jellal forced himself to tamp down on the rogue feelings fluttering in his chest. He needed to stick to the plan. They'd reunite Erza with her family.

For this _was_ her family. Erza was Eira. There was no denying that.

A dark-haired man in a white jacket passed them, hands tucked loosely in his pockets.

Jellal swore under his breath when the man entered the Wave Café. That was _not_ Lyon.

Though his ability to perceive colors was limited, he could still tell the difference between dark and light shades. Ultear had been very clear that Lyon was fair-haired. And this man was definitely not.

"What's wrong?" asked Erza.

"…nothing," he said.

"I don't believe that," said Erza.

"Look, let me… There might have been a change of plans," said Jellal. "Let me check and see."

"I'll come with you," she said.

"No!"

"Jellal?" asked Erza, pulling back in surprise.

Jellal gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. "No need for that," he said quickly. "I'm not even sure this is him," he lied. He wasn't sure, but Jellal had a sneaking suspicion that this was the dark-haired younger brother that Ultear had warned him about. "Why don't you stay here? I'll come get you if this is our guy."

"But—"

"Stay here. Don't move." Jellal didn't wait for a response as he slipped away from Erza, following his target as he entered the café.

Jellal slipped around the side. There was an open window and he'd be able to see and hear without fear of discovery.

"Gray! What brings you here?" asked the waiter. He was a small man with bushy brows.

Jellal groaned, tapping his head against the wall in irritation as his suspicions were confirmed.

"Business. The usual," said Gray.

"It's a surprise to see you here instead of Lyon," said the waiter.

Gray shrugged. "What can I say? He's being a lazy bum. Can I get his usual to go?"

"I'll box it and bring it right out."

"Thanks, Yuka. Is Toby here yet? I know they usually meet up."

"You're a little early," said the waiter, Yuka.

"Yeah, well, that's 'cause it doesn't take me an ungodly amount of time to walk across town," muttered Gray. "Do you care if I chill over here?"

"Of course not. Make yourself comfortable."

Jellal ground his teeth. Now what would he do? Before he could decide, another man entered the café, stopping short as soon as he stepped inside.

"Oh, no," whined the newcomer.

"Hey, Toby," said Gray.

"Something bad happened, didn't it? I knew something bad was going to happen. I hate it when I'm right," fretted Toby.

"Toby, calm down."

"Is he all right? He's never missed a scheduled drop before," said Toby.

"Everything's fine," said Gray. "He just thinks I'm his freakin' errand boy."

"He… he _what_?" stammered Toby.

Gray nodded, smirking. "He says 'hey,' though. Like I said. Nothin' to worry about. Lyon'll be back next week and then it'll be my turn to abuse him."

"Oh… okay," said Toby.

"So, do you have it?" asked Gray.

"Right here." Toby nodded, sliding a folded square of paper across the table. "Things have been pretty quiet, lately but I don't think it's going to last. It might be time for us to think about… you know, moving on."

Gray shook his head. "We can't keep moving around. You know that."

"The Task Force is getting restless," said Toby. "Do you know how many patrols I ran into on my way into town? The whole town is crawling with officers."

Jellal wondered if the officers had followed them here from Brago, like Simon had.

Yuka returned, carrying two paper bags. He set them down next to Gray and Toby. "That's not a good look," he commented, brows knitting.

"They made a mess of safehouse D," said Toby.

"You're kidding," Yuka said.

Toby shook his head. "Everyone's fine, but we lost a lot of supplies."

Gray swore. "Well, there's one place we can't go back to."

"I'm just telling you what I saw," shrugged Toby as he stood to leave.

"I guess that's fair," said Gray. "So, Lyon wanted me to ask. Have you heard anything about… you know?"

Toby sighed. "Yeah. I ran into somebody claiming to be her, just yesterday. But it turned out to be another fraud."

"Another one?" sighed Gray.

"Some idiot fire-breather with a wig. He must have thought I was stupid if he thought I couldn't tell he was totally a guy. He was with this celestial wizard, a real pretty blonde girl."

"Wait. You mean…" Gray snorted. "Those were the same two idiots that Mira had us talk to yesterday! I swear…"

"He was really powerful, though," said Toby. "Almost as strong as Master Ur was. Are we sure Eira wasn't a guy?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure…" said Gray.

"Oh." Toby shrugged. "Well, I'm in town until the end of the week. You know where to find me," he said.

Jellal waited until Toby had left the café before entering. He slipped into the chair that Toby had just vacated.

Gray stiffened, a wariness evident in his posture.

"Good afternoon, Citizen," Jellal said politely. "Or should I say Master?"

Gray's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?"

"I'm a friend," said Jellal. "One that knows something about your _sister_."

"I've heard that one before," snorted Gray.

"Wouldn't you like to hear more?"

"Not really, no."

* * *

Something was wrong. Jellal was taking way too long. He had said that he needed a few minutes, but it had been nearly half an hour.

Erza jumped up when the man with the sandy brown hair passed the alley. This was the second man, the one that had entered the café after Jellal had left.

Where was Jellal?

Erza knew that he had asked her to stay put, but she couldn't just sit here. Gathering her courage, Erza crept out of the alley. She knew she wasn't doing anything wrong, but she couldn't stop her heart from racing. She held her breath, but it didn't help.

Through the front door, she could see Jellal sitting across with the first man. The one with the white jacket.

She couldn't hear what they were saying, but that was easily fixed. She could see an open window in the wall near them. Pressing herself flat against the wall, she shimmied around the building.

"—but from what she's told me, I can assure you she's the real thing, Gray," came Jellal's voice.

Gray! That was the brother that Ultear always talked about. Erza couldn't wait to meet him. Why hadn't Jellal invited her to join them?

"Oh, yeah? And I'm just supposed to take your word for it?" Gray laughed, an unpleasant sound. "You know, for a guy who's supposed to be this brilliant, calculating Councilman, you're really dumb."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I know who you are. I know you've been looking for some girl to bring to us."

"How… how did you know about that?" demanded Jellal, his normal suave demeanor faltering.

"Information is the only reason the Resistance has survived this long. Next time you make your 'secret' plans, don't do it in the middle of a busy street."

Erza covered her mouth, unable to stop the sharp little gasp that flew from her lips. She couldn't believe what she just heard. There had to be some mistake. Maybe she had misheard. They were far away; their voices were muffled. There was no way Jellal was just _using_ her.

"See? I know your game," said Gray. "You and every single one of those swindlers. Don't deny it."

"…I can't," said Jellal.

This was… all just a game? And Jellal admitted to it…

"That's what it was at first, but now…" Jellal trailed off, shaking his head. "Listen to me," he insisted. "She's an orphan from Brago. I've brought her all the way to Magnolia just so she could meet you."

"Did you actually find us a real orphan? 'A' for effort," said Gray, his voice dipping with sarcasm. "Most people just lie about it. Everyone's an orphan these days."

"You have to listen to me. She's the real Eira! She has no memories of her past—"

"That's awfully convenient," sneered Gray. "I'll bet that helps your little ruse, doesn't it?"

Erza shook her head dumbly, a feeling of heaviness pooling in her chest. But as disappointed as she was that Gray wasn't interested in meeting her, it was nothing to how badly the shock of Jellal's betrayal hurt.

"Give it up, man," said Gray, his voice tight. "You think you're the first person to come to Magnolia trying to exploit our sympathies? I talk with people every week who are trying to pass themselves off as the missing Eira. And you know what they all are? Fakes. You're the same as the rest of them."

"No. She's no fake. She's the real Eira. I'm sure," insisted Jellal, his voice syrupy smooth, like the politician he was. "If you'd just speak with her, you'd know too!"

"Don't waste my time!" said Gray, standing abruptly. His chair toppled over with a loud clatter. "I'm done with fake ice princesses. Good day, _Citizen_ ," said Gray with a mocking salute. He stormed out of the café.

"Wait. Gray!" Jellal started after him, staggering hastily toward the door of the café.

Erza she found herself face to face with him as he rounded the corner.

"E-Erza!" he said, startled.

"You… you _lied_ to me!" she hissed.

"No… no, Erza. It's not like that!"

"And I _believed_ you! How could I be so stupid!" she snapped. "I threw away everything for this! For you!" She swallowed at the lump in her throat.

How could she have believed? She was Erza. The nobody from nowhere. How could she have thought she might have been somebody special? She should have known better.

Worse than that, she had thrown away her future. She had no place to go back to. She couldn't even take that job at Manorwell Farm anymore, not with the State after her.

"Erza, listen to me, please! But you're really her. You were there that night, same as I was. Do you remember the fires and the smoke? The flares in the sky that night? That was—"

"Another lie?" she choked. "I don't want to hear it!"

"But you remembered—"

"I don't care what I remembered!"

"Erza, wait. Wait. Where are you going?"

"Anywhere. It doesn't matter anymore," she muttered.

"Erza!" shouted Jellal.

Erza spun on her heel. "Simon was right…" she hissed. "You _are_ nothing but trouble."

Erza stormed off. She needed to get back to Mirajane's. She was done here.

* * *

Jellal watched Erza's retreating back, unable to do anything but stare.

The hurt in Erza's eyes cut him to the core. She was right. He had _lied_ to her. Just like he lied to everyone else.

She'd lost her faith in the system that raised her. She had put her trust in him, and he had thrown it away.

Jellal watched Erza's retreating figure. For a moment, he considered going after her. But he had no right. He didn't deserve her. Not after what he did.

But he could still make amends. Making up his mind, he set off at a jog, sprinting after Gray instead.

Jellal would make sure that Erza's brothers would accept her, even if it was the last thing he did.

* * *

 **Not good; Jellal's in trouble. Probably not a shocker, since this is straight from the film, but still not good. But at least, Erza knows the truth. Or at least, one of the truths... The big one that's _really_ going to hurt is still a secret.  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, Jellal gets to someone who can actually help:** _Recognition flickered in Lyon's eyes. "You're the boy. The apprentice guard who helped us escape that night. Jellal."_

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	24. For the Good of the Resistance

**It's Monday!**

 **Lily-ana : ****Mil gracias! :) Bueno, en esta historia, Gray y Erza son solamentes amigos. Él era poco antipático en el capitulo del semana pasada. Por eso, él se siente culpable y se vuelve protector de ella. Te gusta Grayza? Me gusta Grayza también y tengo algunas otra historias sobre ellos. :) Sorry if that doesn't make any sense. My grammar is probably a mess. It's been a long time since I studied Spanish. :)  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Jellal should have known not to speak to Gray. Ultear had warned him that it would be fruitless.

If he wanted Erza to be accepted, then he needed to find Lyon. If the older brother would agree to it, then Erza's place would be secure. One look was all he would need to know that Erza was the real Eira.

Jellal moved quickly, trying to keep Gray in view, without being seen. He tailed the man across town, first to the post office, then to the pharmacy, and finally to the green-grocer's. At first, it surprised Jellal that Gray could move about town so freely. And, if he didn't know better, he would have thought him an ordinary man, not the second-in-command of a dangerous resistance movement in opposition to the State. In a way, it made sense that all the members of the Resistance led ordinary lives, not unlike how he and Ultear had joined the New Council.

Jellal eventually followed Gray to a modest house that looked much like the others on that street. This must be where he, and hopefully Lyon, were living. Jellal knew that he wouldn't be able to waltz in, like he had at the Wave Café. He would have to meet with Lyon without alerting Gray.

Jellal wasn't quite sure what to do. These sorts of things were Ultear's specialty. She was the schemer; words had always been enough to get Jellal what he wanted. Even when growing up on the streets of Brago, all he had ever done was talk. Of course, that smooth talk was what had gotten Jellal into trouble with Erza in the first place.

Jellal wondered what Ultear would do in this situation.

If Ultear were here, she would probably look for another way in. When they were trying to break into that prison, Ultear had kept to the walls until she had found that grate for them to get through. Jellal doubted he could find a metal grate here, but there was probably some sort of alternate entrance.

Swiftly, Jellal went around to the back of the house. He was rewarded with a back door. He tried the knob, but the door was locked and wouldn't give. Next to it was a window. An _open_ window. It wasn't ideal, but it would have to do.

Jellal forced the window to open further so he'd be able to get in. He hoisted himself up and over the sill. After he had climbed inside, Jellal looked around to gather his bearings.

He was in a small bedroom, serviceable, though nowhere near as elaborate as his own accommodations in Brago. There was a plain wooden table near the window and a bed against the wall. In the chair opposite him sat a man with snow white hair.

The man rocketed to his feet, clutching at the table as he staggered. He wasn't at all what Jellal had been expecting. Yet, Jellal knew, without a doubt, that this was the man he was looking for.

"Master Lyon, I presume," said Jellal.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"Who I am isn't important. I've been looking for you," he said. Then it dawned on him that those were the wrong words to use on a wanted man.

"I may not move as well as I used to, but I assure you, no one molds faster than I do," said Lyon, his tone low and dangerous.

Jellal put his hands up in a placating gesture. "I believe it."

"What do you want?" demanded Lyon. His hands were raised in preparation to cast a spell.

"I just want to talk. I know something that may be of interest to you."

Lyon lowered his hands, taking his seat again. "And just what would that be?"

"I hear you're looking for a very special girl," said Jellal.

"And what's it to you?" asked Lyon.

Jellal gave a polite smile, leaning against the wall casually. "What would you do if I said I could show you where she is?"

"Gray would say that you're a fool for suggesting it."

"What would _you_ say?"

"…I'd say the same," said Lyon firmly. But his hesitation gave him away. Jellal could tell that he had the man right where he wanted him.

"If you don't meet her, you'll lose her forever. Is that what you want?"

Lyon paused. "I'm listening," he said.

"I know where Eira is. She's at _Mirajane's_. We arrived last night, and we've been hoping to meet with you."

Lyon stared, staying silent for a moment. "Who are you?" he asked finally.

"Does it make a difference?" asked Jellal. "Who I am isn't important."

Lyon frowned, his eyes narrowing. "Where did you get that scar?" he asked.

Jellal gave a wry smile. He had forgotten that he had left it uncovered, but that turned out to be fortuitous. "I, too, have felt the fires of Brago," said Jellal, repeating the code phrase that Ultear had given to Mirajane. At least, he hoped it was a code phrase. He'd feel rather foolish if it was something else.

Fortunately, his guess seemed to be correct.

"That's what they all say," said Lyon. "But _you_ were actually there that night, weren't you?" asked Lyon after a pause.

"I was."

Recognition flickered in Lyon's eyes. "You're the boy. The apprentice guard who helped us escape that night. Jellal."

"You remember me…" Jellal hadn't been expecting that.

"How did you manage to survive…?"

"Looks like fate has crossed our paths again," said Jellal.

"If you really are that boy, then you know how few of us made it out that night. The chances of Eira being _alive_ are slim. Finding her? That would be nothing short of a miracle."

Jellal could tell that Lyon was faltering. What did he have to do to convince him not to give up an all but futile search?

"Then why are you still looking? You've held that hope for so long. If it's really so hopeless, I don't even know that it's worth trying anymore," agreed Jellal.

"Then why are you here?" asked Lyon.

If Lyon wouldn't take Erza as Eira, then he would have to accept her as something else.

"I have a proposition for you. Your Resistance needs a figurehead," said Jellal. He had no idea if his theory was true or not, but it sounded reasonable enough.

The words flowed like honey, syrupy and pleasant. Jellal hated himself for being able to lie so easily. But what was another lie, if it would get him what he wanted? If it would give Erza back her family?

"I'm willing to bet," Jellal bluffed, "that you made up the rumors about Eira turning the tide for the Resistance in a last ditch effort to find her. And to give everyone something to believe in to raise their broken spirits. I'm right, aren't I?"

"What's it to you?" Lyon asked, lips pressed together tightly. "That's hardly your business."

"You're looking for a girl. She's looking for a place to belong and someone to love her. Does it matter if she's the real Eira or not?"

Lyon hesitated, conflict flickering in his eyes.

"For the good of the Resistance," urged Jellal.

Finally, Lyon nodded. "For the good of the Resistance," he agreed quietly.

* * *

 **And now, Jellal has made things just _that much_ more complicated. ****Who wants to bet that backfires on him?  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, Lyon talks with Erza:** _"I heard a rumor that a young woman from a prestigious magical lineage was staying here. I thought I'd check up on it myself."_

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	25. Lyon

**It's Monday!**

 ** **I mentioned a couple of chapters ago that Lyon has a has a permanent injury that gets in his way. That's actually inspired by the film. One of the things that left an impression on me from Anastasia's reunion with her grandmother was the way the old lady hobbled in with her cane, but stayed proud and strong. I thought about how I would do that here, and it occurred to me that giving Lyon a permanent injury would fit that bill. It ended up being a good choice, since it worked out conveniently for other things later on.  
****

 ** **guest: I'm glad to see that I'm entertaining you! XD This site is my main platform for now, but one day, I hope to publish my own original fiction. (Then you won't have to wait for a weekly upload! XD) But until I get there, I appreciate your supporting through reviews and favoriting/following, or even just by reading all of my stories. It means a lot! Thanks all for the support! :)****

 **Lily-ana : Estoy de acuerdo! Yo creo que si Jellal quiere hacer lo que sea necesario para estar con Erza, estarán muy felices juntos. Nada puede paran! :) Gracias por tu correo!**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

This was his last chance.

Gray had made that clear. With or without Eira, he would have one opportunity to launch an attack on the New Council before Gray had him grounded. Permanently.

Of course, Gray was right in his own way. Lyon knew that he had his limits and he knew how little he had left to give. He may have kept up his headstrong façade in front of Gray, but it was mostly so that he didn't have to admit defeat. The truth was, he had also given up on the notion of ever finding Eira.

The only reason he had kept going was because of what Eira symbolized. She was Master Ur's legacy. The product of her unwavering faith that her daughter was still alive. Lyon had taken up the mantle in his master's stead. He owed it to her to see things through to the end. He owed it to Eira to keep on trying. And as hopeless as it was, if there was even the slightest chance that Eira was sitting at _Mirajane's_ , Lyon would walk to the ends of the earth.

Although, with the way everything hurt today, _Mirajane's_ might as well have been the ends of the earth. Lyon cursed his useless body.

" _Mirajane's_ , you said?" asked Lyon.

"You'll have to hurry," said Jellal.

"Aren't you coming along?"

Jellal gave a wry smile. "Ah, it's probably best if I stay away. I wouldn't want to interrupt," he said smoothly. "I'll just let myself out."

Lyon could tell a political line when he heard one. Jellal was a smooth talker, to be sure. Yet, something about him felt like a kindred spirit. He seemed like the sort of man who did what was necessary, if the circumstances dictated it. Lyon respected that.

Lyon nodded, rising out of his chair. "I'll be off then."

"Good luck," said Jellal.

Lyon hobbled out of his room, the ache in his knee like an electric pulse with every step.

Gray was putting away groceries in the kitchen. He must have run some errands while he was out earlier.

"Lyon!? Where do you think you're going?" asked Gray, looking bewildered, a carrot clutched in one hand.

"To meet our sister."

"Don't be stupid! We just talked about this!" snapped Gray, waving the carrot at him. "Lyon! Get back here! You shouldn't be—"

"Don't underestimate me, Gray. I am not an invalid, nor am I a child." Lyon gave a derisive smirk as he limped past. "You look terrifying with a root vegetable in your hand, by the way. I'm sure the Task Force would be cowering in fear if they could see you now."

Gray dropped the carrot with a huff. "At least tell me where you're going!"

"Why don't you ask the stranger with the scar? The one from the Wave Café. You're an idiot for turning him away. Just so you know."

"How do you know about that?" asked Gray.

Lyon paused to grin over his shoulder. "The walls have ears. You never know who's listening."

"Don't give me that!" growled Gray.

"Isn't that what they say these days?" deadpanned Lyon.

Since the New Council had taken over, that was truer than not. And it wasn't even the New Council that was the problem. Private Citizens had taken to doing their civic duty and reporting their neighbors. Nobody could be trusted anymore.

" _Huh_? You—Ugh! _Lyon_!"

Lyon smirked as he left a very confused Gray behind.

* * *

What would she do now? Where would she go? Could she return to Brago? Or would Simon have her arrested if she went back there?

Even if she wasn't in trouble with the Task Force, Erza wasn't sure she _could_ go back. She'd never be able to look at things the same way after this. She felt like this journey had opened her eyes, and it was all thanks to Jellal.

Jellal.

Erza clenched her jaw so hard her teeth ached. She swept about the room, gathering her things. It didn't matter if she could go back to Brago or not. She wasn't staying here.

A sharp rap at the door interrupted her.

Jellal, probably, with another sorry excuse. Erza snorted.

"I thought I told you to leave," she said coolly. "I'm done with you."

"And after I came all this way?"

Erza turned, blinking in surprise. _That_ wasn't Jellal. Erza dashed to the door to greet her visitor.

"I am so sorry about that," she said. "I thought you were someone else!"

"Evidently," he said. His words were clipped, but he didn't seem upset. If anything, his tone sounded amused.

"Would you like to sit down?" she asked quickly, noticing how the man was leaning against the door frame for support.

"Thank you."

The stranger limped inside. He didn't look old, but with his white hair and the way that he walked, Erza couldn't tell for sure. He sank down on the edge of the bed with a sigh of relief. He studied her silently, those dark eyes probing her cautiously.

His scrutiny made Erza squirm. "Do I know you from somewhere?" she asked.

"Perhaps," he said.

"What brings you here?" she asked. "I didn't know I had any friends in town," she added.

"I heard a rumor that a young woman from a prestigious magical lineage was staying here. I thought I'd check up on it myself."

Erza bit her lip, looking away. "I'm afraid to disappoint you," said Erza, once she had found her voice again.

"Oh?"

"I have no lineage to speak of. I'm a nameless nobody with no family and no home," she said bitterly.

"Is that right?" asked Lyon. "And here I thought I was dealing with my master's daughter."

"Your _master_?" echoed Erza. There was that word again. Ultear had used it yesterday when she was talking to Mirajane. Could he mean Guild Master?

"She was like a mother to me," the man continued, "so I suppose that would make the girl my… sister."

"Your sister…" repeated Erza.

"That's what the rumors call her, at any rate."

Erza's lips parted as she gave a soft gasp. "Then, you're…"

The man smirked. "You can call me Lyon," he said. "So, what brings you all the way to Magnolia? This isn't exactly a tourist destination."

"It's a long story…"

"I've got time."

"I met someone," confided Erza. "Someone who I didn't know as well as I thought," she added stiffly. "And he said—well, no, that's my fault. _I_ thought that if I came to Magnolia, there was a chance that I'd learn more about my past. All I ever wanted was to know who I was," she admitted, her voice sorrowful.

"Did you find the answers you were looking for?" asked Lyon.

"No… but I don't think I'm the one you're looking for. I'm sorry this is what it came down to. I really am."

"Why don't you let me have a look at your magic?" he asked. "You _do_ have magic, don't you?"

"Yes, but—"

"Show me."

Erza sighed and reluctantly shut her eyes. She felt the now-familiar pulse of her magic as she called upon her Frost Empress armor. Taking the sword into both hands, Erza brought it down, leaving the wall covered with a thick layer of ice. She put her armor away, returning it and the Elrys sword with a flash of light.

Lyon reached behind him, pressing his palm to the ice. His eyes narrowed as he examined it. Then he nodded, apparently satisfied.

"You're a powerful wizard," observed Lyon. "Albeit untrained, but powerful nonetheless. You _really_ don't think you could be from one of the magical guild families of Old Fiore?"

Erza shook her head, offering a bittersweet smile. "I can't be," she whispered. "I wish it were true, but it's just not possible."

"You're a good actress. I'd almost believe you," said Lyon. Then he sighed, studying her again. "You have her smile," he pronounced finally.

Erza blinked in surprise. "Whose?"

"Your mother's. Her name was Ur."

"But, I'm not… I can't be…" said Erza, shaking her head. That couldn't be right. How could _he_ know that when she wasn't even sure who she was?

"Can you not feel it? You belong with us, Eira," said Lyon, his voice soft. He reached for her, squeezing her shoulder.

"Eira?" asked Erza. She wasn't sure she believed him, but oh, how she wanted to!

"Eira," confirmed Lyon. "It means snow."

"Snow?" asked Erza, her mind going back to the wintry days at Rosemary Orphanage and fragments of memories in the cold, snowy mountains.

"Yes, sister," said Lyon. "Snow, like your mother's magic."

Snow. It sounded comforting. It sounded right.

Erza remembered the snow that fell near Rosemary, soft and pure.

For the first time in her life, Erza felt like she knew who she was.

Eira. That was who she was.

She was Eira.

"Come. Let's meet your new family," he said. "Help me up."

Erza supported Lyon—her brother!—as he staggered to his feet. The stairs proved to be difficult, though he managed with her help. Erza wondered how he had gotten upstairs in the first place.

She followed as he hobbled out into the pub dining room where Mirajane and Elf were waiting. Next to them, Gray scowled, his arms crossed over his chest. Jellal was there too, standing silently against the wall. But the other pub regulars were gone.

Mirajane ran up to them anxiously. "Master Lyon! Master Gray came running in asking after you and I didn't know you were here. But he insisted—"

" _There_ you are," interrupted Gray crossly. "I thought I told you that you can't keep doing stupid stuff like that! I'm not gonna have any sympathy when you're paying for it later. We're going home."

Lyon waved him off with a disdainful snort, making Gray squawk in protest. He turned to the others, his eyes bright. "Mira, Elfman, spread the word. Let the others know that I need to speak with them."

"Yes, Master. I'll have them all here by noon tomorrow," said Mirajane.

"No, tonight. Can you do that?"

"I… I think so. But why the rush?" asked Mirajane.

"We've found her," he said, grinning.

" _What_?!" sighed Gray. "What are you talking about?"

"Gray, there's someone I need you to meet," said Lyon. He steered Erza forwards, his hands on her shoulders.

"Oh, my goodness," breathed Mirajane, her eyes sparkling with the start of tears.

"You mean this…? She's really…?" asked Gray awkwardly.

Lyon nodded.

Erza couldn't help but flinch back when Gray's eyes met hers. His brusque manner and explosive temper made her uneasy. She remembered what he had said when Jellal caught him at the café earlier.

This wouldn't go well.

But with Lyon at her back, Erza couldn't retreat. He gave Erza a gentle push forward. Erza took a deep breath, bracing herself for Gray's inevitable rejection.

When Erza looked again, she was surprised to catch a glimpse of something raw and guilty in Gray's eyes. Then Gray's face crumpled and Erza found herself being pulled into a fierce hug.

"You have no idea how long we've waited for you…" whispered Gray. "Welcome home, Eira."

She hugged him back hard. His words filled Erza with a warmth like she had never known before.

Mirajane and Elfman both welcomed her with hugs as well.

Erza's heart had never felt so full. So, this is what it was like to have a family!

* * *

It hadn't taken long for word to spread about their emergency meeting. Everyone was here. Even Toby and Yuka had found time to attend. Through the partition, Lyon could hear the commotion next door. The room would be packed. He hoped that wouldn't make Erza—he just couldn't think of her as Eira, not when he knew the truth—too uncomfortable.

When they were ready to begin, Lyon sent Gray to bring Erza down to the dining room. One trip up and down those stairs was more than enough exercise for today. A second would probably do him in.

Gray had volunteered so quickly that Lyon wasn't sure whether Gray was trying to protect Erza or him.

Gray had been so attentive to their new-found 'sister,' since they had met that afternoon. Despite his somewhat prickly disposition, Gray was caring and protective of all those he cared about. A regular papa bear.

Lyon sighed. Gray had a bad habit of trying to shoulder everyone else's burdens. He was probably being extra nice to Erza to make up for his pessimism about trying to find her.

Of course, Lyon couldn't fault Gray for that. Guilt was a feeling that he, himself, knew all too well.

"Are you ready?" asked Gray, as he led Erza into the room.

"I think so," said Erza. "Where is everyone?"

"Brace yourself," advised Gray, the ghost of a grin playing at his lips.

Lyon nodded. "Go ahead, Elfman. Why don't you open it up?"

Elfman rubbed his hands together before latching onto what looked like a dent in one of the wooden panels. With a grunt, he heaved the wall aside, sliding it back to reveal a second, much larger, dining room.

Erza gave a gasp, her eyes going wide.

"You're okay," whispered Gray. "This is where we like to hang out. It's sort of like a secret club room. Nothing to be afraid of. We can even come hang out here tomorrow and I'll introduce you to everyone."

Lyon stepped forward, raising a hand for quiet. The room fell into a hush.

"We have found her!" announced Lyon. "At long last. I'd like to introduce you to Eira, the daughter of Ur Milkovich." Lyon waved at Erza, who wore a solemn expression on her face, though she wrung her hands nervously.

Lyon turned to Erza. "Why don't you go ahead and show them," he said.

Eyes wide in her pale face, Erza summoned her magic. Like she had shown him earlier, she Requipped into her Frost Empress armor, sword in hand. Then she brought it down in a wide, sweeping arc, letting the ice magic freeze its way down the walls and across the floor, coating it in a layer of frost. Then, she in the wall behind her, she conjured the crest of old Fiore.

The other wizards broke into cheers. Bickslow and Loke bumped fists and Sherry hugged the closest person she could reach, which turned out to be Freed.

The undercurrent of excitement in the room was palpable. Something had gone right for the Resistance. For once, it felt like they had a chance.

Lyon's eyes fell on Jellal, as he stood alone in the back of the room. He gave the other man a nod as they exchanged glances. Jellal had been right. This was the right thing to do.

She may not have been the real Eira, but Erza's presence had raised their spirits. The Resistance gained a champion, and a lost girl gained a home.

But why was he feeling so unsettled about it?

Lyon scanned the crowd again. Elfman was patting Gray on the back. Sherry had pulled Erza into a hug. Mira's eyes were filled with tears of joy.

Joy and renewed hope swept through the room. But there something else.

Lyon could feel something in the air, something cold and hateful. He scanned the room, trying to find the source of the strange aura of malice. And it was there, there in a dark corner of the room he found it, the one face that he thought he'd never see again.

A young woman with cold eyes glared at him with her murderous gaze.

"Eira…" he breathed.

For, how could he forget the face of the girl that he'd lost?

* * *

 **After all these years, Ultear and Lyon reunite.  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, we find out what really happened between them _._**

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	26. The Purging, Revisited

**It's Monday! This week, another flashback. Kid Lyon and Kid Ultear on the night of the Purging. We'll see lots of familiar faces. Keep in mind that ages will differ from canon. (We're in Lyon's PoV this week, so Eira refers to actual Eira... which means that she's little Ultear.)**

 **guest** **: Get ready, lots more of those to come! (I'm a total troll in that respect. XD) Thanks for leaving some love! :)  
**

 **Lily-ana** **: Sí! Gray y Ultear** **nunca se conocieron.** **Gray se unió a Ur y Lyon después de 'The Purging.' Es por eso que Lyon está más preocupado por encontrar a Ultear. Gracias por tu correo! :)**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lyon watched as the adults talked. He was proud that Master Ur had decided to take him to this year's conference. He only understood half of what they were talking about, though, and he had given up on following along. Instead, he let his eyes wander the conference room.

Every seat at the long table was filled with Guild Masters and their successors in training. Ichiya Vandalay and his successor Hibiki. Gildarts Clive sat across from them. Old man Makarov Dreyar had his teenage grandson, Laxus, at his side. They were flanked by Hiram Yajima and the eccentric Goldmine.

Next to them, Rob Anderson had brought a little girl with brilliant red hair. She seemed too young to be here, fidgeting in her seat. She couldn't have been much older than Eira, who was sitting in the seat next to him.

Lyon felt a little bad for both of them. Eira kicked her short legs back and forth in a rhythmic motion, too bored to sit still.

"Wanna play 'I Spy'?" he whispered to her.

Eira grinned, nodding eagerly.

Lyon looked around the room, his eyes landing on the crest of Fiore, a flaming orange bird on a green banner, that hung high above on the wall opposite them. She'd never guess that.

"Okay. I spy something orange," he said.

Eira was quiet for a moment, looking around the room with wide eyes. "The oranges on the table?" she asked suddenly.

"Try again," said Lyon shaking his head.

Another long pause before she answered. "That girl's hair."

"No, stupid! That's red. And it's rude to point."

"Sorry…"

"Try again."

"What about—"

Muffled shouts came from the hallway. Lyon couldn't hear what they were saying, but the voices sounded angry. Then there was a loud bang. Then another. And another.

"What's going on?" demanded old man Makarov.

From behind him, Lyon heard an explosion, the concussive force sweeping past as the windows shattered. Shards of glass flew, slicing across the side of his face.

The room exploded into chaos. The crush of bodies jostled him as the panicked wizards leapt from their chairs and scattered. Lyon was separated from Master and Eira.

Lyon turned to look, catching a glimpse of the flaming bottle that came hurtling into the room. He could smell the stench of gasoline as it splattered across the floor. Flames blossomed from the broken bottle, catching on the gas and rising into a conflagration as it caught on the drapes. The air filled with a thick, dark smoke that made his eyes water.

The door to the conference room burst open as men and women with guns forced their way into the room.

"Power to the people!" one of the men shouted.

"Down with magic! No more elitism!"

"Die, you filthy wizards!"

Lyon could see the bodies of the security guards out in the hallway, lying in growing pools of blood. They were dead. His stomach turned.

They were _all_ going to die.

"Master? Eira?" Lyon looked around frantically, his heart hammering in his chest. He couldn't tell who was who. He needed to get out of there.

There were screams and shouts and as the gunfire continued. The air was heavy with the stench of death.

On his hands and knees, Lyon picked his way across the debris, keeping to the edge of the wall, trying not to be seen. The hot, thick air burned in his chest, but he forced himself to keep going. Master was fine. Eira was fine. He needed to get out of here. He needed to find them.

He managed to crawl his way out into the hallway. The air was clearer here, and he filled his starved lungs. He tried not to look at the bloated corpses of the guards, eyes rolled up in the back of their heads.

Lyon heard more gunfire and another scream… a woman's. That wasn't Master. That wasn't Eira. They were okay. They were too smart to get killed like that. He just had to find them.

A figure staggered through the smoke. No, two of them.

"Eira!" gasped Lyon. For that's who it was. A boy, about his age, was steering her by the shoulders. He had a bleeding cut across his left eye.

"Yours?" the boy asked.

Lyon nodded. "Thanks for getting her out of there. Where's your mom?" he asked Eira, crouching down to get on eye-level with her.

Eira's eyes were wide and terrified as she shook her head. "There were too many people," she said.

"We've got to go back and look for her," said Lyon.

"Are you crazy?" asked the other boy. "I got her, but I couldn't get to anyone else. And I had to pull her out from under a—" he cut himself off, shaking his head. "It's a slaughterhouse in there."

Lyon winced.

"We can't leave her behind," whimpered Eira.

"I know," said Lyon. "But we won't be able to find her in there. She's smart and we are too. We have a better chance outside. Right?" he asked, turning to the other boy.

He nodded. "Yeah."

"I'm Lyon. And this is Eira."

"Jellal," he said, extending a hand for him to shake.

"We've got to get out of here," said Lyon. "I remember how we got in. Follow me."

Lyon lead them down the hallway, away from the conference room. The stench of death permeated the halls. There were fires at every turn.

"How much further?" asked Eira.

"Two more rights and we'll be out," said Lyon, as they approached a door. "You getting tired?"

Eira nodded.

"Already?" complained Lyon. He sighed, shaking his head. Taking a deep breath, he hoisted the girl up in his arms. "Fine. I'll carry you, but just for a little bit, okay?"

It was slower progress with Eira in his arms. He had thought she was a tiny pint of a girl, but she was heavier than he had thought she'd be.

When they rounded the corner, they were greeted by a hallway littered with more broken glass and flame.

Lyon swore. There was no getting through this hallway.

"I know another way," said Jellal.

"What do you mean?" asked Lyon.

"I'm an apprentice guard," said Jellal. "I know this building pretty well. I can take you out the back. I still have to set off the signal flare, but I can take you most of the way."

Lyon was reluctant to let Jellal lead, but there was no other choice. He just had to trust that the other boy could get them to safety.

Every twist and turn was disorientating as he followed Jellal deeper into the burning building. Finally, Jellal said that they were getting closer.

"Just out this door," said Jellal.

"We made it?" asked Eira.

"We're home free," said Lyon.

"Gotcha, you little brats!"

Lyon felt a big hand snag the back of his collar. He let Eira slide to the ground as he whirled around to face his attacker. He bucked, slamming his feet into the man's meaty gut.

"Back off, you old geezer," hissed Lyon.

"You little demon!" growled the man. "You're all the same. All o' ya."

"We're just a bunch of kids," protested Jellal.

"What happens when kids grow up? Magical kids become wizards. And wizards become dangerous," he snarled.

"Take Eira and get out of here," muttered Jellal.

"What?"

Jellal stepped in front of them protectively. "Hurry up. Go!"

"What, are you stupid?! We can't leave you here!"

"We were going to have to split up here anyways," said Jellal. "I still need to set off the flare."

Lyon frowned. They wouldn't have gotten this far if it wasn't for Jellal. It didn't feel right to leave him behind.

"I'm an apprentice guard. This is what I'm meant to do," insisted Jellal. He reached for his waist, drawing a sword that Lyon hadn't noticed earlier. "I've trained for this kind of thing. Now, quit wasting time."

"We owe you one," said Lyon. "Thank you."

"Go!"

Lyon ushered Eira towards the door that would lead to safety. He glanced over his shoulder as he prepared to head down the final hallway.

He could see Jellal locked in battle with the man. He seemed to be holding his own, despite his age and shorter stature.

Lyon felt Eira grab at his hand, tugging at it insistently. As much as he didn't want to leave their new ally behind, there wasn't much other choice.

"Lyon?" whimpered Eira. "Is he…"

"I'm sure he's fine," lied Lyon. He needed to get Eira out of here.

"Really?" asked Eira.

Lyon swallowed hard, taking another look at their courageous friend. His stomach churned at the idea of leaving Jellal behind. He hated being such a coward. But Lyon knew that there was nothing he could do for him. Jellal had risked his life for theirs. His sacrifice would have been wasted if they turned back now.

"Don't look back," he told Eira as he pulled her along. "Come on. Keep running."

* * *

 **Wait. That can't be the end. This doesn't line up with what Ultear (Eira) remembered... There's got to be more to this.  
**

 **Okay, fine. We'll keep going for one more chapter. Let's try this again.  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, we'll find out what happened between Ultear and Lyon. For real, this time.**

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	27. The Train from Brago

**It's Monday! We're still in Lyon's memories. Eira still refers to Ultear (since we're in Lyon's PoV).  
**

 **guest : Tee-hee! I'll let you in on a secret... My writing teacher used to say that all writers were a special brand of evil. (Actually, I think he used the word 'sadistic'.) I remember thinking to myself: _Evil? Sadistic? What a horrible idea! Who in their right mind describes themselves that way?!_ Um... I'm starting to think he's right. XD Cliffies are created by evil people. So is really good drama (what else can I do for attention?). And angst, oh, the angst! (Let's make our darlings suffer, muwha-ha-ha!) So, yeah. XD (I had fun with this one. Thanks again!)  
**

 **Lily-ana : Buena preguna! Cuando Jellal vio a Erza, él no sabía el nombre de ella. Luego fueron atacados, y él fue golpeado en la cabeza. Se volvió ciego al color. (Creo que la palabra correcta es 'daltónico'?) El rojo y el naranja parecen marrón y negro. Jellal ayudó a Lyon y Ultear (Eira) después de eso. Él realmente no sabe si Eira es una pelirroja o una morena. Hoy, Ultear y Erza se ven similares a Jellal. Él piensa que Erza puede ser Eira porque ella sabe hechos que ella solo podría saber si ella estaba en The Purging. Gracias por tu correo - saludos! :)**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

The first gasp of the frigid Brago air bit at his lungs. But Lyon was finally able to catch his breath. Snow was starting to fall, clinging to his hair and clothing.

"Mama!" shouted Eira.

"Master!"

"Lyon! Eira! Thank god!" Ur breathed, running over to them. She folded them both into a hug.

Normally, Lyon would have protested. He was too old for hugs, but given the circumstances, he'd allow it.

"Master, what do we do now?" asked Lyon.

Master Ur looked grim. "The whole town's like this. All the wizards, every magical family… they've been attacked."

"Why? What did we ever do to deserve this?" asked Lyon.

"It's not about what we did do," said Master. "Though sometimes, I wonder if it's what we didn't do?"

"I don't understand."

"We need to get going," said Master. "It's not safe."

"We're running away?" asked Lyon. He had felt like a coward leaving Jellal behind. But now Master wanted them to flee?

"There's nothing we can do. This wasn't an accident," she said. "Every single Guild Master in Fiore was in that building. And all of their successors. This is a huge blow to the magical community."

"It's genocide," said Ur softly.

"What does that mean?" asked Lyon.

"It means that it's time to go. The trains are running. We've got to get out of here."

"Where would we go?"

"Anywhere," said Ur.

"But if you're right, then nowhere's safe," said Lyon.

"You're right," said Ur. "But we still can't stay. Come on. There's no time to waste."

"Carry me," said Eira, reaching up for him.

"I'm gonna need you to walk for a little bit, okay?" Lyon told Eira.

Eira shook her head, clinging onto his arm.

"You're really heavy," he told her. "And I carried you the whole way already."

"Am not."

With a sigh, Lyon took Eira in his arms again.

"I'll get her, Lyon," offered Master, reaching to take Eira.

Lyon shook his head, ignoring the way his arms protested the load. "It's fine. I've got her."

The streets were dead and eerie as they wandered through. Families had gone into hiding and some of the homes had been set on fire. This was nothing like the busy metropolis they had been in that afternoon.

The train station was even worse. The ticket counter had been forgone, the glass at the kiosk had been smashed by people in their eagerness to purchase a ticket to safety. Instead, adults and children, whether magical or not, jostled one another, shoving their way to the front of the platform to press their way on to the next train.

"Stay close," warned Ur. "If we get separated, we may never find each other again."

"You going to make me hold your hand?" complained Lyon.

"Not if you can keep up."

Lyon looked up at the sky. The billowing smoke that shrouded Brago formed grey clouds that were visible against the dark of the sky.

A flash lit up the night, followed by a resonating boom that made Lyon jump in surprise. Two more balls of red light shot skywards, one after the other. Each burst wide, like a flower made of crimson light.

"Pretty…" whispered Eira.

"They're signal flares," said Master. "It's a call for help during emergencies."

"That means he made it," said Lyon.

"Who?" asked Master.

"Nobody. If there's flares, does that mean that someone's going to come and rescue us?" asked Lyon.

Ur shook her head. "There's no one coming."

"But you just said—"

"Rescue flares work when there's someone to do the rescuing. We were _all_ here tonight. All the Guild Masters and their successors. There's no one left."

Soon the rumble of the arriving train could be heard rattling its way down the track.

"Here it comes!" shouted a man.

"Robbie, where's Anna? Anna, where are you?!" a woman shouted frantically.

"Don't let go of me, sweetheart," a young man urged a young woman, probably his girlfriend or wife.

Before the train had even come to a complete stop, people swarmed. Pushing, shoving, jumping onto the track behind the train to try and clamber onboard.

"This way," said Ur, ushering them off the platform and onto the tracks. She herded them urgently, trying to keep them from being trampled by the crush of desperate bodies.

Master let him climb on first before handing Eira up to him. Then Ur climbed on too.

The train started to pull away from the platform.

"Please! Wait!" shouted a woman with a baby wailing in her arms. She tried to run after the departing caboose.

"Let it go. There'll be another train," a man said to her.

"You don't understand."

"You'll never make it."

"Keep away from the edge," said Ur.

"What if we need to make a hasty get away?" asked Lyon grinning. He could finally relax. They were on the train. They were leaving Brago. They were finally safe.

"Stop that. This is no laughing matter," said Ur as she led them further in towards the front of the train.

"Sorry," he said.

Every car was packed to the brim with hot, sweaty bodies. The old and the young, frightened and angry, all crowded together to escape the chaos that had broken out.

"Where's Eira?" asked Ur.

Lyon's heart stuttered. "She's not in front of you?" he asked.

The look in Master's eyes confirmed the worst.

Lyon looked around wildly, his pulse quickening. She wasn't here. She really wasn't here. The last place he remembered seeing her was in the last car when they had first gotten on the train.

Master turned around, forcing her way back through the crowd.

"Master?" he asked.

"Wait here. I'll be back!" she shouted.

Heedless, Lyon followed, pushing and shoving, fighting his way back to the last place he'd seen his master's daughter. Ur had trusted him to take care of her, and he'd failed miserably! If he couldn't find her, he'd never forgive himself.

Lyon breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Eira was still in the caboose, right where they'd left her. She stood next to the steps of the covered platform, dangerously close to the edge. One tiny hand clutched onto the railing as she craned to get a final look at Brago.

"Eira!" Master shouted. "Get away from there."

"Mama?" She let go, turning towards the familiar voice. The sway of the train sent Eira tumbling onto the tracks with a jolt.

"Eira!" Ur shouted. She surged for the back of the train, ignoring the complaints and grumbling of the bystanders she shoved out of the way.

Thankfully, Eira got right back up, appearing more dazed than hurt. "Mama? Mama, wait for me!" She scrambled to her feet, toddling after the departing train. "Don't go! Wait!" she cried.

Master crouched down at the end of the train, paying no mind to the guard rail that blocked her. Master reached for her daughter through the railing, sticking her arm out as far as it would go as she tried to catch hold of the tiny hand. "Hold onto my hand! Eira!" shouted Ur, barely managing to latch onto her little girl's fingers.

Master's grip slipped, just as Lyon joined them. Eira was sent tumbling and crying as she fell back onto the tracks again.

Lyon couldn't watch this anymore. Even if Master did manage to grab Eira's hand, she wouldn't be able to pull her back onboard the train. Not with the guardrail in the way.

The railing wrapped around the platform, enclosing it on three sides. The only way past it was the opening for the steps that flanked either side of the platform.

"Here, I'll get her, Master!" shouted Lyon.

"Lyon, what are you doing?! Get back here!" shouted Ur.

Lyon ignored her, forcing his way to the steps. This was their only chance.

Lyon gulped as he watched the ground whizz past. Guard rails were there for a reason. If he slipped, he'd be dead, or at least seriously injured.

Focus.

He couldn't afford to screw this up. With one hand tightened on the rail, he lowered himself onto the rickety steps, crouching to keep from being thrown off. He leaned out over the edge, much like Eira had done earlier.

"Eira! Over here! Take my hand!" he shouted, trying to sound confident.

"Lyon!"

Eira made a grab, but she missed.

"Try again."

No luck.

Lyon let out a shuddering breath. It was up to him. He owed it to Master. But he'd need both hands free to do this.

Lyon released his hold on the railing, the only thing keeping him from falling to his death. He lunged for Eira, managing to catch her by the arm.

"I got you!" he shouted. "Don't let go," he said. "I've got you. Just hold on," he said.

"My hand's slipping!" she cried, her eyes desperate and frightened.

Gathering the last of his strength, Lyon heaved the girl off her feet. His arms felt like jelly as he staggered backwards, landing on his butt with Eira in his lap. He pulled her towards him, cradling the precious darling against his chest.

"You okay?" he breathed.

Eira nodded, sobbing into his shoulder.

"We're okay," he called to Master. "I've got her."

"Thank goodness," she said.

Now, all he had to do was get them back inside the car, before they both got thrown off.

With Eira in his arms, Lyon tried to stand up. But the train rounded a bend, the car jerking and jostling. Instinctively, Lyon reached to brace himself, to keep from being thrown off.

And Eira slipped out of his other arm.

Cold horror filled him as he realized that he'd just dropped Master's daughter. He and Master were alone on the rattling caboose. And Eira had fallen onto the train tracks at Brago.

Master's tormented wail was one that he wouldn't soon forget.

Then the world changed, the rattling train melting away to the house he shared with Gray. He was sitting in his bedroom, Jellal having just come through the window. The jagged scar crossed his eye.

"You'll lose her forever if you don't go after her," said Jellal. "Is that what you want?"

"No," said Lyon, making to stand. But he was rooted to the chair, legs useless and arms too heavy to move.

"You don't care about her at all, do you?" asked Jellal, his expression twisting into a wicked smirk.

"Of course, I do," said Lyon. "Just give me a minute. I can move, I swear."

Jellal shimmered, disappearing and leaving a dark-haired woman in his wake.

"Master?" asked Lyon.

But it wasn't. The resemblance was undeniable, but it wasn't Master Ur.

"Eira…" he choked.

But this wasn't the little girl that he had known. This Eira was grown up, with hate-filled eyes. The same murderous expression as the woman he had seen at _Mirajane's_ the other day.

"Lyon," she hissed, her fist tightening around the handle of a dagger.

"You're alive," breathed Lyon.

"You left me behind. You left me to die," she accused, her eyes hard.

"No… That's not true. I wanted to find you. I swear I did," he croaked.

"That's a lie!"

"It's true. We went back, but you weren't there anymore. You were gone. You were gone, and it was all my fault. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"Sorry isn't good enough. You'll pay for what you did to me." Eira raised the dagger, slamming the blade towards his chest.

* * *

 ** **We've got 13 more chapters to tie things up, and we're starting to move into last act of this story.****

 **I'm not ending with a preview this week. I want to know what you guys think happens next!**

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	28. Ultear

**It's another magical fairy tail Monday!**

 ** **For the record, I don't think it's Lyon's fault for dropping Ultear. I don't think she sees it that way. I don't think he sees it that way either. XD****

 ** **guest : We've got a nice, long chapter this week, so hopefully that makes up for it. Besides, I gotta do what I can to help everyone beat the Monday Blues! :) As we move into the summer months, a lot of readers have time off from school (which is obviously well-deserved, after all the hard work). But, since I'm all done with school, I don't get a summer break (which is very sad, and I'm totally jealous of everybody XD). Actually, that's one of the reasons I picked Mondays for a weekly posting. It gives me something to look forward to as the weekend draws to a close. Hopefully, posting makes _someone's_ day, because h**** ** **earing from everyone makes _my_ day. :) ********Thanks again!  
****

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lyon woke in a cold sweat. He gasped, each breath like the blade in his chest.

Or rather the blade that _wasn't_ in his chest.

It was just a dream… Just a dream.

He pushed himself off the table, stiff and sore. Scowling as he glanced around, he recognized the back office at _Mirajane's_ , the one that he and Gray often used as a War Room. He must have fallen asleep at his desk. The excitement from the day before had taken more out of him than he cared to admit.

He sat up gingerly, feeling his aching back creak and pop. As he blinked sleep away, faces from his past melded with his present.

It was the same nightmare, over and over. It always began with Jellal rescuing Eira from the conference room. Though they were a little bit different each time, they always ended with the train.

This time though, he wasn't sure what his subconscious mind was doing.

There were two faces in particular that stood out to him. One was the little girl with the most memorable red hair. Erza.

So… _that's_ who she was. Lyon couldn't say he was surprised. He had suspected that she had come from one of the guild families. That was the most logical explanation for the unusually great magical strength that she possessed.

Lyon didn't regret taking her in. She may not have been Master Ur's daughter, but she was still a survivor of the Purging and the successor of one of the guild masters of Old Fiore. She belonged with them.

But he hadn't counted on the other specter from his past. Eira. The _real_ Eira.

After years of trying and failing to find her, they finally met again. At _Mirajane's_ , of all places. And only after he had claimed another girl as Eira. How strange fate was.

Lyon turned back to the paperwork he was doing before he had fallen asleep. The words blurred and swam, distraction making it hard to concentrate. Unable to focus, Lyon got to his feet, suddenly struck with the inexplicable impulse to join the others out in the hidden back dining room.

He needed to talk to this girl.

Today was one of Lyon's better days. Except for his stiff back, which was his fault for falling asleep like that, nothing else hurt. Not badly, at least. There was still the ever-present ache in his joints, but _that_ he had learned to accept and largely ignore.

Lyon made his way out of the office, enjoying the sensation. He could even walk normally, his limp almost imperceptible. If only every day were like this.

The guild was as lively as ever. Lyon could hear the clink of glasses being set on tabletops and chairs scraping across the floor. They were so rowdy today that all of the shouting and laughing would be heard by any of the pub's accidental patrons.

 _Mirajane's_ was nondescript enough that few actual customers would walk in on it on accident. When people did accidentally stumble upon _Mirajane's,_ Mira and Elfman would work in the smaller dining room, out front. A few of the others, normally Macao and Wakaba, would sit out front too, just to keep up the ruse that this was a real pub. When that happened, everyone knew to keep quiet so that they weren't discovered.

Of course, Mira wasn't entertaining any other guests in the small dining room today. A clever piece of magic from Bickslow assured him of that. Bickslow had enchanted the portrait of New Council Chairman Byro that was mandatory in all places of business. It was horribly ironic, but thanks to the painting, they could keep an eye on all that went on out front.

Taking a quick glance around the guild, Lyon spotted the girl without too much trouble. She was sitting alone, like she didn't quite belong.

"I haven't seen you around," he said, joining her. He sat down across from her and watched her carefully. "Are you new?"

"I only arrived a few days ago," she said.

"What's your name?"

"It's Ultear," she said with a pleasant smile.

"Ul…tear?" asked Lyon, frowning. Her name was much like Master's. Too much.

"That's right. I made it up myself. Do you like it?" she asked.

Lyon hesitated. "It's… very unique," he said. "Does it mean anything?"

"Nothing in particular. I just liked the way it sounded," she said, her voice dipping to a wicked purr.

Lyon suppressed a shiver. He couldn't help but be reminded of the hate-filled woman from his nightmare. Lyon pushed that thought away. That wasn't fair. His imagination was running away with him.

"I take it you're friends with Eira and Jellal," said Lyon.

"That's right. We met in Brago," said Ultear.

Lyon tensed. "You're from Brago?" he asked.

"I grew up there."

"What was it like living in Brago? Then you must have been there when…"

"When the Purging happened?" asked Ultear.

"Do you remember anything?" pressed Lyon.

"Can't say that I do," said Ultear.

"You… you don't?" he asked.

"No," said Ultear. "I don't remember that far back."

"You're sure? Nothing at all?" Lyon felt a rush of guilt. Then she really didn't know who she was.

"I can't say that it bothers me, though," she said. "It was supposed to be horrific."

"That it was," agreed Lyon. "I apologize. I probably shouldn't have asked. That was insensitive."

"I'm used to people asking insensitive questions when they hear that I grew up in Brago," shrugged Ultear. "Besides, you don't seem like the sensitive type," she added, her dark tone contradicting her smile.

"I apologize," said Lyon, wincing. "I really meant no offense."

"None taken," said Ultear sweetly, her venomous tone gone as quickly as it had come.

"I'm glad," said Lyon. Ultear raised an eyebrow in question, but he continued as if she hadn't. "So, I was wondering if you'd consider—" started Lyon.

"Yo." Gray had planted himself next to the table.

"I'm in the middle of something, Gray. Can this wait?" said Lyon absently, waving him off.

"I only need a minute," said Gray.

"Later," insisted Lyon.

"What's so important that you can't give me thirty seconds?" complained Gray.

"I happen to be having a very important conversation, which you're interrupting," said Lyon.

"Making new friends?" asked Gray, giving Ultear a small wave and a polite smile. "Hey." Then he jumped back into business, not waiting for further acknowledgement. "I went ahead and picked these up when I was in town. Saw that you'd run out, so I figured I'd save you a trip."

Lyon knew what Gray had brought, even without the other man waving the paper bag in his face. Lyon grimaced. His latest prescription left him feeling nauseous all the time. He wasn't keen for another round. He'd skip a dose here or there when he thought he could afford to, but that left its own consequences.

"Oh, yeah. I told the doc that the new pills are making you sick. I asked if he'd let you go back to the old stuff," said Gray.

"Those stopped working a while ago. That's why I quit taking them and they switched me over in the first place."

"I know. I mentioned that too. So, doc said he could up the dosage and we'd see how it goes."

"Just what I needed," complained Lyon. "These are strong enough to take down a horse."

"Not my fault you've built up a tolerance," said Gray, shrugging.

Lyon opened his mouth to protest but Gray cut him off.

"Pick your poison or suffer without them. I really don't care," said Gray. "Do you want your new meds or not?" he asked impatiently. He didn't wait for a response, thrusting the parcel into Lyon's lap before turning on heel.

"Thank you," Lyon called after him.

"Yep."

* * *

Ultear's eyes narrowed as she watched the exchange between her mother's students. She craned her neck to look at the package that Gray had all but thrown at Lyon.

It didn't take a genius to tell that Gray had made a run to the pharmacy. The question was why. She didn't recall Lyon being a particularly sickly child when they were growing up. If anything, he had developed quite a tolerance to the elements as part of his training to be an ice wizard.

"What are those for?" asked Ultear.

"Hm? Ah, nothing you need to concern yourself with," said Lyon dismissively as he tucked the bag out of sight. "Gray's a worrier by nature. He's making a mountain out of a molehill. It's entirely uncalled for."

Ultear frowned at Lyon's obvious evasion. She wondered what he could be hiding. Was this some sort of ploy to gain her sympathy? Well, she wasn't falling for it.

"But what were we saying?" continued Lyon. "Ah, yes. I was wondering what your plans were now that you've restored our Eira to us."

"I'm not sure," said Ultear. "Did you have something in mind?"

"You could always stay with us."

Ultear blinked. She hadn't been expecting that, but she pushed her surprise aside, plastering on a smile instead. "Oh, I couldn't!" she said modestly.

"I think you should," said Lyon. "And I mean the both of you, if it makes any difference. You and Jellal are both welcome."

"I'll have to think about it. Sieg and I may have prior commitments."

"Sieg?" asked Lyon.

"That's my name for Jellal."

Lyon nodded in understanding, not commenting further. Ultear wondered if Jellal had gone and told their new friends about their ties to the council. It would be just like him.

"I'd like to see you stay, if you're not opposed to the idea," said Lyon.

Lyon's sincerity made Ultear hesitate. For some reason, she was almost _glad_ that he had asked. But that was silly.

Lyon excused himself and Ultear watched as he crossed the guild and went back to what she assumed was his office.

One of the girls at an adjacent table turned to face her. "Don't think it's anything special. It's not like he's in love with you or anything," she said, clearly having heard the entire conversation.

"I wasn't thinking that at all," said Ultear honestly.

"Be nice, Sherry," scolded an older man with a mustache. Ultear remembered him introducing himself as Macao earlier. "But she's right. He asks everyone to stick around," said Macao.

"Oh, is that so?" said Ultear, feeling inexplicably disappointed.

"It is a little strange," said Macao. "This is the first time I've seen him ask anyone personally. Master Lyon tends not to have much interest in anything other than the whole Eira thing."

What interest did Lyon have in her?

"That's hard to believe," commented Ultear. "I thought he was the guild master. Wouldn't he be involved in most everything?" She didn't remember much from when mother ran her guild, but Ultear was fairly certain that the guild kept mother busy.

"He is, but he relies a lot on Master Gray to keep this place afloat," said Macao. "Most of his attention has gone to his search for Eira. That boy fought harder than anyone to bring her home. He's sacrificed so much just to find her."

"He's pushed everyone away for his obsession with her. I just hope she was worth it," said Sherry, her lips pursed. She glared at Erza from across the room.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you seen him? The way he—" Sherry trailed off, shaking her head. "He's not even thirty, but he moves like he's more than twice that. He's going to have to live with that for the rest of his life. And it's all because of _her._ "

Ultear blinked. "I don't understand. I thought he said it wasn't anything."

"He's like that," sighed Sherry, sounding more than a little starstruck. Ultear was starting to suspect that Sherry's irritation had to do with more than friendly concern. There seemed to be a bit of a history between her and Lyon.

"You can't blame Eira for that. You know how he gets, Sherry," said Macao reasonably. "We both knew Lyon from when he was younger. When Ur was still alive," explained Macao. "He was always ambitious and focused. Maybe a little bit prone to fixation."

" _Driven_ ," corrected Sherry, almost fondly. "I've never met anyone with so much determination. Both he and Master Ur were that way."

Ultear wondered if she got her determination from her mother. It would make sense.

"You could tell that they never gave up on the daughter that she lost. Their search for her was one of the reasons the group traveled all across Fiore," said Macao

Ultear frowned. They were looking for her? But that didn't make any sense. Mother had abandoned her. She'd been replaced by Lyon and Gray. They had gone from being her students to her sons.

"We all helped, but Lyon seemed to take the whole thing personally, for some reason," recalled Macao. "And after Master Ur died, it only got worse."

"He was just obsessed at that point. That's all he would talk about. He wouldn't rest until he found Eira. He even pushed all the love out of his life!" sighed Sherry dramatically.

"Sometimes I wonder if he felt like he was personally responsible for fulfilling Master Ur's life-long goal. It's a heavy burden to shoulder, on top of trying to lead the rest of us. I mean, he had Gray, but…"

"Gray didn't step in soon enough," said Sherry.

Ultear couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"We had just gotten to a new place, so he was out looking for her, like an idiot. It was raining that day. Gray said that he just slipped," recalled Sherry. "It wasn't that high up. He shouldn't have landed like that. He should have been able walk away from it. But with him already injured, the fall just made everything worse."

"So what's actually wrong with him?" asked Ultear, even though she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"His back," said Macao.

"His hip," said Sherry at the same time.

"Knee, hip, back… At this point, it might be quicker to list what _isn't_ broken," said Macao.

Ultear winced.

Was this really the man who she had spent years hunting down? He didn't sound at all like the Lyon who had abandoned her and taken her place in Mother's heart. Maybe he had changed. Or maybe it wasn't his fault to begin with…

 _That boy fought harder than anyone to bring her home. He's sacrificed so much just to find her._

But that just wasn't possible. It couldn't be. These were his friends, so of course they were taking his side.

 _I spy something orange._

She'd come here for revenge, but Ultear wasn't sure she wanted it anymore.

 _I'd like to see you stay, if you're not opposed to the idea._

Was she faltering?

 _I'm gonna need you to walk for a little bit, okay? You're really heavy. And I carried you the whole way already._

No, of course not. He wasn't worth dirtying her hands over. That's all.

It would be best for her to turn him in. Let the Task Force deal with him.

* * *

 **Hmm...**

 **I sort of latched onto the idea where canon-Ur told Gray that if Lyon knew that he was to blame for her iced-shell sacrifice, he'd waste the rest of his life trying to melt the ice. (Granted, he still tried to do that for crazy reasons, hence Galuna Island, but let's put that aside.) If he really felt guilty about accidentally dropping Eira when they were escaping, he'd probably stop at nothing to make up for it. He's the obsessive type.**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, we learn more about the Resistance and the people in it. Now that we've got the backstory straight, we can shift the focus back to our girl Erza so we can figure out how to salvage the Jerza situation. (If Jellal hasn't ruined things beyond repair, that is... XD)  
**

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	29. Erza Meets the Guild

**It's Monday! And it's time to meet this universe's guild.  
**

 **So this might be a little confusing. In dialog, 'Eira' will almost always refer to Erza, since that's how she was introduced, so the entire guild thinks that's her real name. In narration, you'll have to pay attention to who's PoV we're in. This chapter is Gray's, so when 'Eira' is used in narration, he means Erza.**

 **It'll get less confusing as we move on, since we get fewer PoV pieces from the boys, but I'll try to call it out when I remember.**

 **Mavis** **: I hope you do! :) It's fun connecting with other FT fans here. Writing is such a naturally solitary pastime, that getting to add a social aspect to it is enjoyable. Hope you had a great weekend! :)**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Her bright red hair made her easy to spot. Eira was sitting alone at one of the tables, her hands tucked into her lap. She looked so small and out of place. She shouldn't have felt that way. This was her home now.

Gray frowned, surprised that Lyon had left her to her own devices like that. For someone so _obsessed_ with finding Master's daughter, it was strange for him to just disappear like that. But still, there was probably a perfectly good explanation for it.

Gray approached Eira cautiously, not wanting to overwhelm her. He remembered what it felt like when Ur and Lyon had first found him in Neves. He had felt out of place too, and it had only been the three of them. Still, it had taken him ages to warm up to his new family. He couldn't imagine how hard it would be for Eira.

But he could fix that.

"Hey, how goes?" he asked.

"Oh, hello, Gray," said Eira, scrambling to her feet.

"You don't have to get up," he said, chuckling. "Relax."

"Sorry…" she said sheepishly.

"You're fine," he said. "So how are you liking it so far?"

Eira's face lit in a bright smile. "It's wonderful!"

Gray fought a grimace, unable to help feeling a bit guilty. This was Master Ur's missing daughter. And he had shot down her friend and almost turned her away because he hadn't had the patience to listen.

Lyon hadn't given up, but he'd lost faith. If things hadn't worked out the way it had, it would have been his fault. But he'd make it up to her, the best he could. He owed it to Ur. He owed it to Eira. He'd make sure to look after her.

"Yeah? Then what are you doing here all by yourself?" he asked.

"I'm not—"

Gray chuckled again, making Eira huff. "Did you meet the others yet?" asked Gray. "Come on, I'll introduce you."

"You'd do that?" she asked.

"Sure. You _do_ have to stand up now, though," he joked.

Gray pulled Eira across the room to where some of the other wizards were gathered. He passed by the table where Macao and Wakaba were chatting with a Lyon and another girl. They were nice enough, but Eira might feel more comfortable with someone closer to their age.

Gray saw that Loke and Bickslow were arm wrestling and they had gathered quite a crowd.

Bickslow slammed Loke's arm to the table. He whooped, throwing his hands over his head. "Still the champion!"

"Aw, you cheated, man!" complained Loke.

"I think somebody owes me some jewels," said Freed smugly. "Pay up," he said to Laki, whose only response was a disdainful snort.

"Did you guys meet Eira yet?" interrupted Gray.

The conversation paused as the group looked up at her.

"No, but it's a pleasure," said Freed, extending his hand. "I'm Freed."

"And isn't she a lovely one," crooned Loke, making Eira stiffen and pull back.

"Easy, that's my sister you're talking to," warned Gray.

"I'm just saying," said Loke.

"Ignore them," sniffed Laki. "That one's a pervert. That's Loke. I'm Laki. Don't get us confused."

"Bickslow," said Bickslow, introducing himself. "Resident arm-wrestling champion."

"Say that after you beat Elfman," said Loke.

"Somebody's a sore loser," said Bickslow. "Jealousy's an ugly emotion," he sang out.

"So, how long have you been in Magnolia?" asked Laki.

"Since yesterday," said Eira.

"And what do you think of our little Magnolia?" asked Laki.

Eira shrugged. "It's nice."

"Really?"

"Yeah… why?"

"I just assumed, with you being from the big city and all," shrugged Laki.

"Are you really from Brago?" asked Bickslow curiously.

"Bickslow!" scolded Freed. "That's rude."

Eira just laughed. "Sort of. I'm actually from a little town just outside. Rosemary. I grew up in the orphanage."

"Oh…" said Bickslow, looking awkward. "Sorry… I didn't mean…"

" _Men_ ," huffed Laki. "We're from all different places too."

"The only thing that ties us together is the fact that we can all use magic," said Freed.

"And the fact that we'd chosen to follow Master Ur," added Loke. "Or the Sons of Ur, as we like to call them. Though I'm not entirely sure why any of us would follow _this_ loser," he said, gesturing at Gray.

Gray responded by punching Loke playfully in the shoulder.

"So…" said Laki. "What kind of magic do you use?"

"She already showed us that, stupid!" said Loke.

"I'm trying to get her to show us again…" whispered Laki, elbowing him. " _Pervert_."

"Is it safe?" asked Eira, looking at him. "Mirajane always had us practice in the back."

"No one will catch us unless they know just where to look," said Freed.

Gray nodded. "Mira has this place under a ward. Nobody can sense magic from the outside, so we can practice inside no problem. See?" Gray went through practiced motions, conjuring the crest of Old Fiore out of ice.

"All right, then." Eira Requipped into her costume from earlier, sword in hand.

"Whoa," said Loke. "It's even more impressive up close."

"Here, watch out," said Eira, covering the table with a spray of ice from her sword.

"Nice!" said Bickslow, gliding his fingers along the icy tracks appreciatively.

"See if you can do something freestanding," encouraged Gray, forming a series of figurines out of his ice.

"Like this?" asked Eira. Misshapen lumps of ice came from the tip of her sword.

Gray motioned again creating a series of icy darts that he sent towards the dart board across the room.

Eira copied him, sending some less graceful ice projectiles flying.

"Go on, Laki," said Gray. "You can do this sort of thing too, yeah?"

Laki crossed her arms. "I don't make pretty things like you do. I make _dangerous_ things," she added in a dramatic voice.

Gray rolled his eyes, sending a jagged chunk of ice flying in her direction.

Laki swore, summoning her magic. She stopped the ice with a wooden shield.

"Dangerous enough?" laughed Gray.

"Jerk," spat Laki, retaliating by conjuring a wooden mace.

Gray parried it easily with an icy hammer. "C'mon, Eira," he said. "Let's show 'em the power of ice!"

Eira met his grin with one of her own. "With pleasure."

"Aren't you going to help?" Laki asked the other boys.

"Sorry, no perverts allowed," said Loke. "You're on your own."

"Traitor!" she hissed. "Bickslow? Freed?"

Bickslow just stuck out his tongue, a maniacal cackle leaving his throat. "You're gonna have to do better than that if you want Arm Wrestling Champion Bickslow to lend a hand," he jeered.

"Don't be so useless," complained Laki.

"I'll lend a hand," said Freed. "Let's even the score."

"You?" asked Laki incredulously.

"Would you deny me?" asked Freed.

"No… it's just unexpected. Mr. Prim and Proper."

"Careful, Laki. I may change my mind," he said.

"No, no," said Laki quickly. "I accept your kindly offer," she added with imitating Freed's formality with a faux primness that set Loke and Bickslow howling with laughter. "Shut up, you guys," she barked over her shoulder.

Graciously, Freed ignored all of them. "Very well," he said, covering an eye with one hand. He made a series of elaborate symbols in the air with the other, sending a blast of dark energy rushing towards Gray and Eira.

Gray deflected Freed's attack with a shield. Eira followed up with a series of ice projectiles that Laki knocked out of the air.

Magic flew as the fight escalated. He and Eira had the upper hand, but just barely.

With a mighty roar, Freed waved his hand, tracing a rune with the edge of his hand.

The room plunged into darkness.

"What's going on over there?!" snapped Macao. He sounded pretty annoyed at having been interrupted.

"Here, I'll get it," came Loke's voice. The room flickered back to light, lit up by a few glowing orbs conjured by Loke.

"Nothing to worry about," said Mira. "Calm down, everyone." With a fond sigh, she went to the next room to fuss with the lights, restoring the room to its full brightness.

Lyon glowered at them, his expression disapproving.

"Sorry, Master," said Freed sheepishly. "I forgot myself and things got a little out of hand."

"What are you, a bunch of children?" scolded Lyon.

"Excuse me?" snapped Gray.

Bickslow and Loke exchanged glances, both of them sticking out their tongues at Lyon.

"Unbelievable," Lyon muttered, shaking his head.

But Eira smothered a laugh behind her hand, not looking too bothered by the scolding. "We used to have playfights at the orphanage all the time," she told them. "Milli, Sho, Wally and me. We had these wooden practice swords and we'd fight with them."

"You know how to fence?" asked Bickslow with an approving nod.

Eira nodded. "It's a lot of fun."

"You can make us some wooden swords, can't you?" Loke asked Laki.

"Sure," she said. "I'd like to see Eira kick your womanizing butt."

"I won't hold back," promised Eira, her eyes giving a competitive glint.

"Then we should totally—" started Bickslow.

Freed cut his friend off with a cool glare. "Why don't we take this one outside?" suggested Freed, shooting a glance at where Lyon and Mira were talking.

"Ah, I guess so," said Bickslow. "You guys coming?"

"Count me in," said Loke.

"Idiot," sighed Laki. "I guess I have no choice."

"What about you, man?" asked Loke.

Gray shook his head. "Nah, you guys go on ahead. I'll stick around and do some damage control with Lyon and Mira."

"Better you than me," said Bickslow shrugging. "Come on, let's go."

Gray smiled as he watched Eira walk off with the others. Looked like she would fit in just fine.

* * *

 **So here's my guess. I think Gray would be extra-super-nice to Erza out of guilt, since he was kind of harsh when Jellal tried to talk to him at the Wave Cafe. He still has no idea she's not the real Eira.**

 **Lyon, on the other hand, knows. And he knows Ultear's around. He's probably not going to give Erza much attention at all.  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, Ultear makes her move; things get worse for Jellal and Erza.**

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	30. Sell-Out

**It's Monday!**

 **guest** **: Well, we can always make things worse... ;) There are some Very Bad Things that haven't happened yet that need to. I won't spoil it, though ;P Thanks for reviewing!  
**

 **Lily-ana : Gray es muy simpático. Sería un buen hermano. Gracias por tu correo! :)**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Ultear wandered the streets of Magnolia. She took a deep breath, trying to rid herself of the heaviness that had settled in her chest. She wasn't sure why she was reluctant to do this. This was what she wanted.

This was what they deserved.

Magnolia reminded her a little of Brago. There were merchants and townspeople that went about their business. It was just a little smaller, a little quainter. A little more like home.

Home.

That was something that she'd never know. And it was all thanks to that Lyon and her useless mother.

Ultear clenched her jaw, mentally shaking herself. She had to do this, before she lost nerve.

It had been three days since they had arrived in Magnolia. It had remained largely untouched by the New Council and the Task Force, since it was so far from Brago. But since they had come, the number of Task Force Officers patrolling the town had increased exponentially. They knew that she and Jellal had come here with Erza. They just didn't know where they had gone.

Time to rectify that.

Ultear approached the first officer she came across, a young woman with dark hair pulled into a severe bun.

"Citizen Officer," called Ultear cheerfully.

"Good afternoon, Citizen," returned the officer, with a crisp salute.

Ultear returned the salute. "Are you on duty?" she asked.

"Yes. Is there something you need?"

"Who's your commanding officer?" asked Ultear.

"I'm part of Citizen Simon's squad," she answered.

"Ah, is that right? I'd like to speak with him. He's an old friend of mine and I heard something that may be of interest."

"Very well. I'll let him know you asked after him. Was there anything else you wanted me to pass along?"

"No, I think I need to speak with him directly," insisted Ultear. This wasn't the sort of thing she wanted to leave to fate and junior officers.

"Who should I say you are?"

"A friend. Tell him that I haven't seen him since Crocus, but would love to catch up."

"I'll do that."

"I'll be here if he wants to talk."

"What if he doesn't—"

"Trust me, he will," said Ultear.

Ultear's instincts were right. It only took an hour before Simon found her.

"Simon," said Ultear pleasantly.

"You again," he growled.

"Oh, how very polite of you. You know that's behavior not becoming of an officer."

"What do you want, Citizen Ultear?" he asked impatiently.

"You remember I said that Sieg and I were on Council business? Secret and hush-hush?"

"Yes, and I remember not believing you," replied Simon.

"Well, we've accomplished what we set out to," said Ultear vaguely. "I have information about the whereabouts of the Resistance."

"You what?" asked Simon, frowning.

Ultear shrugged. "That would explain much, would it not?"

"And where exactly are they?"

"Ah," she said, raising a hand. "Not so fast. This information came at great personal cost. Sieg and I have been mingling with… unsavory individuals. _Dangerous_ individuals. If I told you where the resistance was, our undercover work for the past week would put us in a difficult situation. Especially with the way you and your squad have been tailing us," she said.

"What would you have me do about that?"

"We would need certain protections. Immunity. You'd have to provide that and vouch for us," said Ultear.

"I can't promise you that," said Simon.

"All right, then I can't tell you where the Resistance is."

"Citizen Ultear. These are dangerous, wanted criminals. It's your duty to the State to tell us everything, you know. Surely you wouldn't want to obstruct our investigation."

"Of course not," she said smoothly. "But I could provide the lead to an officer that I actually trust. Is that you?"

Hesitation flickered in Simon's eyes. Ultear could see him how he was torn between his loyalty to the State and his own ambition. All people were corruptible, and Simon was no different.

In a way, he had always reminded her a bit of Sieg. Despite the honorable reputation he had, there had to be some part of him that was self-serving. No one was noble through and through.

"Never mind," she said quickly. "I shouldn't have abused our friendship this way, Simon. I'll take my business to some other member of the Task Force."

"No, wait," he said, ambition finally winning out. "I'll do it. Tell me where the Resistance is hiding."

Ultear's lips pulled into a smile. "With pleasure."

* * *

"It only took a week for us to come down from Brago," said Erza. She and the boys were in the War Room, discussing the possibility of a raid on the New Council.

"Yes, but you came by train part of the way and bus for the rest," Lyon reminded her. "We'd have to avoid public transportation."

"Not necessarily," said Gray. "If we split up and went up in groups, we'd have a decent shot at making it."

"That's risky," said Lyon. "We should stick together. Strength in numbers."

"That's called putting all your eggs in one basket," countered Gray.

"You're the one who said that we had to do this in one shot," Lyon reminded him.

"But that doesn't mean we have to be stupid. I don't like it," said Gray.

"What do you think, Eira?" asked Lyon. "Eira?"

"What? Oh, right." Erza still hadn't gotten used to the sound of her own name.

Gray chuckled. "So, if you had to get a group our size back to Brago, what would you do?"

Erza let out a slow breath. "Why do we need to go back to Brago? I know you want to raid City Hall, but to what end?"

"If we take down City Hall, we take the New Council with it. That leaves a power vacuum and enough chaos for us to re-establish some sort of governance," explained Lyon. "It's no different than what they did during the Purging."

"Wouldn't that make us no better than them?" asked Erza.

"Ooh, she's got you there," said Gray.

"What do you suggest?" asked Lyon. "Either of you."

"Well, what if we took out a prison?" asked Erza, remembering how she had freed the inmates in Brago with Jellal and Ultear.

"Aiding and abetting. A good start," said Gray wryly.

"I'm just saying, it doesn't have to be the New Council. We could pick something a little closer."

"What about something of strategic importance?" asked Lyon. "Task Force training grounds or a headquarters of some sort."

"We could always do with fewer Task Force officers," said Gray.

"Yeah," said Erza, her mind flickering to Simon. Her heart ached at the memory of her dear friend who had become a State loyalist.

She remembered how Jellal had stood by her side when he'd accused her in Crocus.

Jellal…

It had been quite the adventure, and part of Erza couldn't bring herself to regret it.

He had lied to her, but it had changed her life for the better.

"How about a break? That's enough planning for one day," said Lyon.

"Tired?" asked Gray.

"No," snorted Lyon.

"Admit it," he insisted.

"In your dreams."

"A break sounds good. Do either of you need anything?" asked Erza.

"For this one to quit being an idiot," muttered Gray. "Oh, you meant something you can help with? Nah, you're good. Why don't you go out and hang with the others?"

Erza laughed. Her brothers were quite a pair. She was glad she had found them. And she had Jellal to thank for that.

Out in the dining area, Laki and Loke were squabbling again. Erza made to join them when Jellal stopped her. He and Ultear had both remained at _Mirajane's_ the past week, though she hadn't spoken to him since their fight.

"Erza, can we talk?" asked Jellal.

"So talk," she muttered, her eyes narrowing. She was still angry with him and she was _not_ in the mood to deal with whatever lies or pretty words he'd give her.

"Alone?" prompted Jellal.

Erza pressed her lips together, but she led him out behind _Mirajane's_ so they'd have some privacy.

"What do you want, Jellal?" she sighed. "Or is it Siegrain?"

"Erza, is this really necessary?" he asked, frowning.

"I'm not sure," she said coolly. "You told me so many lies, I'm surprised you still remember who you actually are. I'm not sure how you expect _me_ to keep track."

He ignored the obvious barb, shaking his head. "I was talking about the mission. This overthrow the New Council business."

"This is what the Resistance needs," she told him.

"Is this what you need?" he asked.

"This is what I came here to do!" she snapped. "Isn't that why you brought me here?"

"You're outnumbered. It's suicide!" he barked. "I didn't bring you here so you can get yourself killed."

"I didn't ask you to bring me here," she retorted. "But now that I _am_ here, I'm going to do whatever I can to help my brothers. It's what my mother would have wanted." Erza may not have regretted coming, but she had every right to be angry with him.

"Erza…" said Jellal softly. The uncertain—almost _vulnerable_ —look in his eye was an unfamiliar sight.

Erza tore her eyes away. She wasn't going to get taken in by him. Not again.

"Was there anything else?" she asked.

"No. Nothing."

Erza turned on heel and went back inside, not waiting for Jellal to follow.

* * *

 **Well, that was a stinging rejection if I ever heard one...  
**

 **And does anybody just want to throttle Ultear right now?**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **:** _"No, I've come to say goodbye, Erza. I'm going back to Brago."_

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	31. Goodbyes

**It's Monday!**

 **I'm a little nervous about this chapter. This week we cover one of the most pivotal (IMHO) moments in Dimitri's - I mean, Jellal's :) - story. I'm not entirely sure I did it justice. We can talk more at the end.**

 **Zieg zieg : Hey, thanks for stopping by! I'm glad that you do. :)**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Jellal couldn't even remember why he and Ultear had started with this crazy idea in the first place. Whatever their reasons, they didn't seem important anymore.

They had reunited Erza with her family. That was all that mattered.

His work here was done. It was time for him to go back to Brago. Back to the New Council with Ultear. That would probably be for the best.

Besides, Erza had made it perfectly clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. She had a new life and it didn't involve him. It didn't matter what he said.

He'd ruined everything and now he had to suffer the consequences.

Gray pulled Jellal aside one evening, taking him into the back office that the brothers used as a War Room. Lyon was there, waiting for them. Jellal couldn't say that he was surprised. It was a matter of time before this situation came to a head.

"Look, man. She doesn't want anything to do with you. Give it a rest, will ya?" said Gray.

"I'm just trying to look out for her," said Jellal. "I think Erza— _Eira_ —needs to think through her involvement with these raids that you're planning."

"I can tell that you don't fully embrace our plans regarding the New Council and the Task Force," started Lyon.

"I think it's foolish," said Jellal honestly. "And reckless."

"And us being here isn't?" challenged Gray. "Everything we do is a risk. Congregating at _Mirajane's_ is a risk. But it's what we were born to."

"As a survivor of the Purging, you should understand that. Any day, the Task Force could come blustering in here and have all of us arrested and executed," said Lyon grimly. "We may act like we haven't a care in the world, and I let the others carry on like it's a party, but that's just a fact that all of us have come to accept."

Gray crossed his arms, facing Jellal squarely. "And if you can't stomach that reality, then maybe you should just go back to your—"

"Gray," interrupted Lyon. "Jellal has been a valued ally. I will not allow you to disregard that fact. He may have his own opinions, but he is within his right to do so."

"We don't need some pessimistic, nay-saying downer when we're trying to pull off the operation of a lifetime!"

"I agree with Gray. I think it's best if we part ways," said Jellal stiffly. "It's time I returned home."

"You think we'd just let you walk out of here?" snapped Gray.

"Isn't that just what you were suggesting?" asked Jellal.

Lyon raised a hand for quiet before turning to address Jellal. "You saved her that night. Eira. You saved us both. Then you brought her back to us. I owe you a debt of gratitude," said Lyon.

"So, you'll let me go, then?" asked Jellal.

"I'd consider it," said Lyon.

"You can't be serious! How do we know he won't give our location away?" interrupted Gray, his eyes narrowed. "He could be a spy from the New Council."

"I assure, you I'm not. On my life, I'll take no actions against the Resistance," promised Jellal.

"And I'm supposed to take your word for it?" demanded Gray.

"You have an insurance policy," said Jellal quietly.

"And what's that?" asked Gray.

Jellal didn't say anything.

"Eira," guessed Lyon.

" _Erza_ ," Jellal croaked, unable to hide the catch in his voice as he said her name.

"My God! You're in love with her!" said Gray.

When they met, he may have picked her up like she was a pebble off the beach, but in this world, _their_ world. Erza was a guild master's daughter! She might as well have been a princess to these people. He was nothing, compared to that. Just an apprentice guard from Old Fiore. And a liar and a cheat on top of that. Council Fourth, indeed!

"How is that an insurance policy?" asked Lyon.

"I'd never do anything to harm her," said Jellal, his voice a whisper. "I'd sooner die."

Lyon and Gray exchanged glances.

"What about your other companion? That woman. Ultear," said Gray. "Can she be trusted?"

"I'm not worried about her," said Lyon. "But in that context, your misgivings about the operation make sense. But why not stay and help us see it through? With our numbers, any help would be appreciated," he suggested.

"I… I couldn't," sighed Jellal. He didn't deserve it. Not after the way he'd lied to her. No, she was better off with this new family of hers. "I think my presence will only cause her pain."

"Your leaving might be for the best, then," said Gray.

"Treat her well," choked Jellal. "If I hear that you haven't, I will come after you with the force of the entire New Council, and there will be no mercy. I found you once and I can do it again."

Lyon gave as solemn nod. "We'll keep that in mind," he said.

"Say goodbye to her for me?" asked Jellal, opening the door of the War Room.

"Do your own dirty work," muttered Gray.

"Why don't you tell her yourself?" suggested Lyon, gesturing behind him.

Slowly, Jellal turned, finding himself face-to-face with _her_. Erza. No, _Eira._ That was her new name, wasn't it?

Erza's expression turned stony as their eyes met. "Come to tell me off again?" she asked. She frowned, her brows drawing down in disapproval.

"No, I've come to say goodbye, Erza. I'm going back to Brago."

"Goodbye, Councilman Siegrain," she said, her tone clipped. She brushed past him to rejoin to her new friends. No, her new _family_.

Erza had finally found a home, a place to belong. But it wasn't with him. Jellal's heart ached with the realization. They could never be together. But still, he was glad, if only for her sake.

"I'm glad you've found where you really belong," he said quietly.

She stopped, turning stiffly. Honey brown eyes locked on his, leaving him feeling an electric buzz.

"Did _you_ find what you were looking for?" she asked suddenly.

He gave a wan smile. "My business here is complete," he said honestly.

Her eyes hardened. "Is that so?"

A slight incline of his head. Almost a nod. "Have a good night," he said.

"Have a good life," she muttered, sweeping by without a backwards glance.

Jellal ignored the twinge in his chest as he watched her walk away.

This was for the best.

* * *

Ultear was surprised to find Jellal at her door.

"What's the matter, Sieg?" she asked. "Why aren't you downstairs with the others?"

"We're leaving," said Jellal.

Ultear frowned. "Leaving? So soon?"

After her talk with Simon, Ultear knew that their days with the Resistance were numbered. They needed to leave before Simon and his squad moved in, but they had time. Ultear had planned to broach the topic of leaving with Jellal at some point, but she hadn't expected him to preempt the conversation.

"What about the raid?" she asked.

"We won't be participating," said Jellal.

"You realize how badly outnumbered they are…" said Ultear, pretending to frown.

"I have faith in the Resistance. Now that we've brought them their Eira, they should have no problems."

"They're kicking us out?" asked Ultear. Had they gotten wind of her plans?

"I asked to leave," said Jellal.

"They're really letting us go, just like that?" asked Ultear suspiciously.

"That's right. Provided we keep their secret."

"What about Erza?"

"We've said our goodbyes," said Jellal, his voice flat.

Ultear narrowed her eyes, lips pressed together in dissatisfaction. She'd assumed that they'd take Erza with them before Simon showed up. She was an innocent in this scheme. She had no real connection to Lyon, Gray, or her mother. Her involvement was entirely _their_ fault, not hers.

"Drop it, Tear," said Jellal mildly. "We're done here."

Ultear shrugged. "All right, I'll just grab my bag and let some of the guys I've been talking to know I'm headed out."

"Take your time," said Jellal.

"Please. I don't need long."

After a quick goodbye to Macao, Sherry, and Mirajane, Ultear went back up to her room to pack her bag. Having abandoned most of what she had brought on the train, there was little to pack. It didn't take long to put everything together.

Her heart gave an unsettled little twist as she passed Lyon in the hallway. She had half a mind to hurt him then and there. It felt odd to leave him when he was within her reach.

But she had been patient for so many years. She could be patient for a while longer. The wheels were already in motion and it was only a matter of time before Simon and his squadron came and took down what was left of her mother's pathetic Resistance and Lyon and Gray along with it.

"You're leaving too?" asked Lyon.

"Duty calls," said Ultear, plastering a smile on her face as she turned to face him. "Besides Sieg and I are sort of a package deal."

"That's unfortunate," said Lyon, limping towards her. "I'd hoped that you'd stay."

"I'm sure we'll see each other again someday," said Ultear pleasantly. "Probably sooner than you might think."

"If your travels ever bring you out this way again, know that you can always come to us," he said seriously.

"I'll be sure to visit," said Ultear. She'd be sure to visit him. At his execution.

Lyon gave an odd twitch, like he wanted to hug her. But he didn't. "Yes, well… take care of yourself," said Lyon, his voice thick.

"You too…" she said. Ultear couldn't explain the sense of regret she felt when she walked away. It was almost like she had _wanted_ him to hug her goodbye.

But that was ridiculous! She'd as soon murder the man as she would touch him.

"All done?" asked Jellal.

"All done," said Ultear, following him out of _Mirajane's_.

Now that they weren't hauling that silly redhead around, they could go back and take the train, like normal, civilized human beings. None of this traipsing through the sticks stuff.

They headed for the train station, getting in line to buy their tickets.

"I can't wait to get back to civilization," said Ultear. "As much as I thought I missed magic, I couldn't be more wrong. Sieg? Are you listening?"

"Something's wrong," said Jellal.

"What? What are you talking about?"

She wasn't sure what had prompted their sudden departure, but she could tell that Jellal was still reeling from it.

Jellal shook his head. "Can't you feel it? It's been bothering me all night."

"I don't think that's it," said Ultear. The only thing bothering Jellal was the lack of Erza. "Don't be so paranoid, Sieg."

"They're badly outnumbered," muttered Jellal, shaking his head.

Was he still going on about that?

"I'm sure it's fine," said Ultear.

"It's suicide…" insisted Jellal. "Do they really think they're prepared to stage a coup?"

"They made their choice," said Ultear. "There isn't too much we can do about it. Besides, they've got Lyon. Any man who can keep a group like that on the run for so long is no fool."

"Sorry. I'm just… worried about them. That's all."

"It'll be fine," repeated Ultear.

He'd be all right. Once they got back to Crocus and he was basking in the attentions of all the townspeople as Citizen Siegrain, Jellal would be just fine.

* * *

 **So... 'The Moment.' One thing that always stuck with me from the animated Anastasia film was the moment when Dimitri turns down the reward for finding her. Then he passes her on the stairs, greets her coolly, and pretends to be the self-serving jerk she thinks he is... probably to remove himself from her life so she can move on with her new family. Clearly, not so self-serving; he's a nicer guy than we're giving him credit for. Of course, we (the audience) knew that he'd fallen for her long before that point in the movie... but Anya has no idea. And that's the moment that gets me.**

 **The setup in this fic is a little bit different (given that there was no reward, and Jellal isn't motivated by money), but hopefully, I did the concept justice.  
**

 **BTW, Does anybody else cringe every time Jellal thinks about how Erza has found her home? :) Just a little something that we still have to resolve. Okay, maybe we'll exploit this impending train-wreck for drama first, then we'll resolve it. XD  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, Ultear may have gone, but her schemes unfold:** _"Simon," breathed Erza. "And Officer Kagura."_

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	32. The Raid on Mirajane's

**It's Monday!**

 **We're in the home stretch of this story with 8 chapters to go. I have a question for the group at the end of the chapter.  
**

 **Timcee : My thoughts exactly! To be honest, though... there's a part of me that feels a little sorry for Ultear. The Purging pretty much ruined her life. Now, I don't know that it gives her an excuse to behave like a raging sociopath. In all fairness, The Purging ruined a lot of people's lives; you don't see them on any revenge crusades. That could be because they're, y'know... dead, but that's besides the point. XD My snarkiness aside (what? It was funny. Right? I'm, like, hilarious. um, lol, no. Not even close. XD) I'm actually really glad that you find Ultear despicable. I had a hard time making her seem relatively reasonable at the beginning, then really, really messed up in the middle. As for the end... well, we'll have to see. ;) Thanks for reviewing!**

 **Lily-ana : Disfruto de los personajes de Ultear y Jellal. Son tan complicados. :) Me alegra que te gusten también. Y Erza? Tienes razón. Será muy emocional. Gracias por el elogio. Aprecio tu correo! :) This is a really short and clumsy response to your kind remarks, but unfortunately my Spanish skills are failing me today. But please know that I really appreciated your note. :)  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

It was quiet without him around. Jellal and Ultear had left for Brago and Erza couldn't help but feel a sense of regret. Not because she missed him or anything. No, she was better off without that lying cheat of a man. But there was some small, sentimental part of her that was convinced that he was the one who had opened up her world and brought her to this place full of life and magic.

The door of the pub opened, the hinges creaking softly. The enchanted portrait showed them a man and a woman, dressed in Task Force grey. They marched into the front dining room, on the other side of the partition. The normal bustle of the hidden dining area stilled.

"He ratted us out," hissed Gray.

"What? Who did?" asked Erza, shaking her head in confusion.

"Your lying snake of a boyfriend from the New Council ratted us out!" he spat.

"He's not my—"

"What are you waiting for, Lyon. Do something!" Gray muttered through gritted teeth.

"Easy," said Lyon. "There are only two of them. We could take them, if that's what it came down to."

"Welcome to _Mirajane's_!" greeted Mirajane. She had slipped out front as soon as the officers had stepped foot inside.

As the officers turned towards her, Erza got a glimpse of their faces.

Her breath hitched. "Simon," breathed Erza. "And Officer Kagura." From behind the partition, they were safe, but for how long?

Lyon scowled. "You know them?" he asked.

"Yes, they're my…" _Friends_ , she was about to say. But she wasn't sure she could think of Simon that way. Not anymore. "They've been chasing us since we left Brago," she said instead.

"What about Mira?" asked Gray, worry making his tone tight.

"Let her handle it," Lyon whispered back. "This isn't her first time dealing with the Task Force."

"Are you the owner of this establishment?" Simon asked.

"That's me! I'm Mirajane, at your service!" she chirped.

Simon's eyes narrowed.

"I was just about to serve dessert, Citizen Officer," continued Mirajane brightly. "We've got an apple crumble that's sure to have you coming back every week! Why don't you have a seat and I'll bring some right out?"

"This is an awfully small dining room for so large a building," observed Kagura as she surveyed the room.

"Well, my brother and I live here too. And I've converted a couple of rooms in the back into living quarters, so we can take on boarders. It helps a little, but business isn't what it used to be, unfortunately," sighed Mirajane.

"We're searching for a group of travelers," said Simon. "Two women and a man. They were last seen headed this way a few days ago. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Mirajane paused, tilting her head in thought. "No, can't say that I have… Oh, wait," she said. "I did have a group of travelers stop by, maybe four nights ago?"

"Is that right?" asked Kagura.

"I don't know if they're the ones you're looking for. Did the one girl have bright, red hair?"

Erza stiffened. What was she doing?

"Tell us more," said Simon.

"Well, Citizen Officer, they seemed awfully suspicious to me. Poking around, asking questions."

"What happened after that?" asked Simon.

"Whatever do you mean?" asked Mirajane curiously.

"What happened to the travelers?" clarified Kagura.

"I sent them away, of course," said Mirajane with a haughty sniff. "Told them they could find their lodgings elsewhere. I don't know if the inn on the other side of town decided to take them on or not, but you could ask around there."

Tension drained from Erza's shoulders as she slumped in relief. Mirajane was a fantastic actress.

"Is that right, Citizen?" asked Kagura. She and Simon exchanged looks.

Simon drew his pistol and Kagura followed suit.

"Lyon, do something!" hissed Gray. "This is getting out of hand."

"What's going on? Whatever is the matter, Citizen Officer?" asked Mirajane, her voice faltering. "Did I do something wrong?"

"Citizen Mirajane, you're under arrest."

Erza's heart leapt to her throat, settling in a hard, painful lump.

An uneasy murmur stirred the room. Elfman shifted uneasily, clenching his fists. He looked like he wanted to bolt and attack the man who was threatening his sister.

"Easy, Elfman," said Lyon. "Don't do anything rash."

" _Lyon_ ," hissed Gray.

On the other side of the partition, Mira's eyes widened, taking a step backwards. "What? What for?"

"For aiding and abetting criminal activity," said Simon softly. "This is treason. An act against the State."

Mirajane shook her head desperately. "I don't know what you're talking about… I've _never_ —"

"You're sheltering the heads of the Resistance," said Simon. "They've been using your establishment as their base of operations."

"You have no proof," said Mirajane.

"I have a witness. My informant told me everything. Kagura."

Kagura kept her pistol trained on Mirajane as Simon went over to the partition.

Gray swore softly.

"No," whispered Erza. "They'll find us."

"Keep your head down," Lyon whispered. "With your hair, the officers are sure to recognize you. Especially if you've had run-ins with them before." With a firm shove, he ushered Erza under the table, forcing her out of sight.

Erza tucked her knees to her chest, settling on the wooden floor, next to her brothers' feet. Erza traced the woodgrain of the floor with anxious fingertips. She was safely out of sight, but she hated feeling so helpless. Like a caged animal.

Of course, she wasn't the only one trapped. Erza heard the partition slide open.

Simon gave a startled gasp, as if unprepared to see so many guild wizards behind the partition. "Nobody move!" he barked. "I'll shoot."

From her spot on the floor, Erza could still see Simon raising his pistol again, cocking it. He pointed it first at Mirajane, then back at the guild, and at Mirajane again.

"There must be some mistake." Mirajane's eyes filled with tears. "I don't know anything, I swear!"

"There's no mistake," he said, advancing on Mirajane. "Citizens like you disgust me."

"That's enough," declared Lyon, his chair scraping the floor loudly as he shuffled to his feet. "I am here."

Simon turned his gun on Lyon, though Kagura's remained trained on Mirajane.

Erza heard Gray curse under his breath. "Lyon! What are you—"

Erza couldn't see, but Lyon had probably silenced their brother with a disapproving glare. Then he turned back to Simon, taking uneven steps towards the officer.

"Don't come any closer!" shouted Simon.

Lyon stopped, raising his hands above his head slowly. "Leave her alone. Your fight's with me," he told Simon. "I am the—"

"Nice try, buddy," interrupted Gray. "Why are you always such a troublemaker? I swear, from the moment we took you in…" he sighed.

"And who are you?" demanded Simon.

Gray squared his shoulders. "I'm Guild Master Lyon Vastia," he said calmly.

" _Excuse me?_ " Lyon blinked incredulously.

Gray ignored him, unblinking when Kagura and Simon both turned their guns at him.

Another chair was pushed out. "As the guild master, I want you both to cease your nonsense," demanded Macao. "Your courage is admirable, boys, but misplaced. Young people these days…"

" _You're_ the leader of the Resistance?" Simon pointed his weapon at Macao, then back at Gray and at Lyon.

"Me too," said Sherry.

"And me," added Elfman.

"Lyon, what are you doing? We almost had them!" Loke shouted at Elfman.

"Don't be ridiculous," said Laki. "Everyone knows that Lyon's a woman."

Freed and Bickslow jumped to their feet simultaneously.

" _I_ am Lyon Vastia. First student of Master Ur Milkovich," said Freed. "You complete bunch of idiots," he added.

Bickslow grinned like a maniac.

"Are you the guild master too?" snarled Kagura, through clenched teeth.

"Uh, no. I just had to go take a leak," shrugged Bickslow.

Gray bit back a snicker.

"Unbelievable," muttered Lyon. "Are you all a bunch of idiots?"

"As if we'd let you have all the fun," said Gray.

"Idiots," he choked fondly, his eyes shining with emotion. He probably hadn't expected the support of the rest of his guild.

"They're wizards. All of them," muttered Kagura, her eyes wide. "What should we do, Simon?"

"Our duty, of course. Arrest them all," said Simon.

But before Simon could move a muscle, Erza felt a blast of frigid air. A panther made of ice sprang from Lyon's fingers, knocking Simon off his feet.

Gray's hands fluttered as he fashioned a weapon of his own, a cannon with a long barrel. He took aim, pressing the barrel snugly into his shoulder. "You won't be doing that tonight. You're outnumbered."

Simon brought a hand up to his mouth, letting out a loud whistle.

The door was torn from its hinges as officers flooded _Mirajane's_.

* * *

 **So believe it or not, when I wrote this scene, I wasn't actually thinking of the Lucy-Michelle debacle (where they all pretend to be Lucy). I have fond memories of the old BBC show Robin Hood. It was campy and obnoxious and didn't take itself too seriously. I feel like there's a scene where different members of Robin's gang try to turn themselves in for him. (Google has turned up nothing, but I could have sworn that was in the one of the episodes.)  
**

 **A couple of the reviewers had mentioned Ultear, so we talked about her a little bit before the start of the chapter.** ** **Any guesses as to where I ended up going with Ultear's character arc? Unfortunately, there's no influencing of the story at this point, since I finished writing it back in December. (I typically don't post anything that's not complete.) But I'm curious about what everyone's opinion is. Who knows? I usually tuck the information away for later, so even though influencing the current story is out, it's entirely possible that your opinions may shape an upcoming project.  
****

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **:** _"They're resisting arrest," Simon informed his squad. "You may use lethal force."_

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	33. Last Stand

**It's Monday!**

 **For this week's chapter, keep in mind that Erza in this universe will not react to fighting like canon-Erza would. She was never hardened by the rebellion in the Tower and losing her childhood friend and hero to Zeref. I imagined that this universe's Erza would have a reaction that's a little more like pre-rebellion Erza, but less childish (because she's not a kid here). She does have some 'combat experience,' but only in the form of sparring matches.**

 **guest: Exactly. :) You know how I keep talking about Erza not being Eira and what a problem that'll be once she finds out? I think this might be a _slightly_ bigger problem. XD Things just got a lot more real. Thanks for reviewing!  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"They're resisting arrest," Simon informed his squad. "You may use lethal force."

Guns were drawn and pointed. The click of the cartridge echoed in Erza's ears. From her hiding place under the table, Erza could see everything.

Gray let his ice cannon dissipate, casting a wide shield as the gunfire began. Each deafening blast echoed through the room.

The dining room erupted into a mess of ice and bullets and _magic_.

With a sweep of his hand, a flock of eagles soared from Lyon's direction, knocking several of the guns out of their wielders' hands.

"We do _not_ aim to kill," Lyon reminded the guild sternly.

"You're joking…" said Gray. "You _still_ want to play nice?"

"Oh, come _on_ —" Bickslow started to protest, gesturing at the officers.

" _No_. It's not about playing nice. They have enough to hold against us as it is. Disarm _only_. Lest we give them a real reason to arrest us."

"You heard him, Bickslow," sighed Gray. He rolled his eyes, but he let his weapon dissipate, conjuring a broadsword instead. "Guess we do this the old-fashioned way," he said, joining Elfman, who was dispatching officers with his burly fists.

Erza twitched impatiently. She wanted to join in. This was her fight too! But Lyon had said to stay here, so she should listen, right? If they could get the situation under control, then Simon would never need to know that she had been here.

Laki slammed a stocky officer into a table, her magic making it explode into sharpened skewers. They pierced through flesh with a sickening squelch.

Erza flinched. She had never known her friends to be so violent.

"He said not to kill. No one said I couldn't maim," Laki muttered darkly. She brushed herself off, turning to find herself at staring down the barrel of another officer's pistol.

"You monster," he snarled, his finger tightening across the trigger.

"Here, watch out!" shouted Loke.

A flash of light blinded the man, distracting him momentarily. Long enough for Laki to kick the gun out of his hand. Loke finished the man off, slamming his fist into the attacker's face, knocking him out with a single punch.

Erza let out a sigh of relief.

"Wow… Thanks," Laki managed. She looked as shaken as Erza felt.

"Did he getcha?" asked Loke, sounding surprisingly anxious.

Laki shook her head. "Didn't know you could be useful. I kinda like it," she mumbled between gasps. It was a pale imitation of their usual banter.

"Well-kept secret. One of many," said Loke, a roguish grin pulling at his features even as he readied another attack.

"Would you two be serious, please?" sighed Freed. He formed runes in the air, letting using them to send the bullets ricocheting back at the officers. "Someone's bound to get hurt if you don't stop."

The three of them separated, each returning to their own fight, but Freed's words filled Erza with a sense of unease. Laki's attack had been sadistic, but she wasn't the only one resorting to brutality. Another Task Force officer writhed in pain at Freed's feet.

The room reeked of filth and blood. The fighting was escalating, both sides getting increasingly violent. And if this was how things had been before the Purging, it came as little surprise that wizards were feared by those without magic.

Erza wanted nothing to do with it. At the same time, she felt like a coward, hiding away like this, watching her friends fight and die.

No, they wouldn't die. They _couldn't_.

The back of Erza's throat burned as a harsh, bitter smell reached her. The air had gone dark and thick.

Was that smoke?

Erza scrambled out of her hiding place. It didn't matter if Simon recognized her now. They were all as good as dead if they ended up trapped in a burning building. Erza called upon her magic, the weight of the Elrys sword heavy in her hand.

* * *

Mira found herself backed into a corner. She wasn't going to fight. Violence wasn't the answer. It never was. She had lost Lisanna to violence. She wasn't about to engage in it herself.

But she felt so helpless watching everyone around her fight for their lives.

"Take that!" Bickslow shouted, sticking out his tongue. "Gotcha now!" It looked like he had taken it upon himself to antagonize Kagura.

Kagura narrowed her eyes, annoyance tightening her features. "We're ending this. Burn it down," Kagura ordered one of the younger officers.

Mira's eyes widened when she heard those words.

"No! Please, no!" shrieked Mirajane, panic surging through her chest. "This is my home! _Please_!"

"Citizen Kagura?" the girl asked, her voice faltering. She looked like she had barely reached her majority, if at all. She had probably started younger than most.

"Do it, Beth," said Kagura. "If we fall tonight, we're talking these traitors with us."

Mira sobbed, her hand rising to her mouth to stifle the sobs. She barely felt her knees hit the hardwood floor.

The girl, Beth, fumbled a small packet from one of her uniform pockets. She shook out a single match, taking it between her fingers. With shaking hands, she drew the head against the bottom of her boot, taking two tries to light it. Wide-eyed and pale, she stared at the flickering flame. Then she looked at Mirajane, who was still on her knees.

Mira felt Elfman's hands on her shoulders, pulling her to her feet and pulling her away. "It's all right, sis. It's all right," said Elfman. "It's just a building."

Mira shook her head. "No, it was _her_ —" Mira couldn't finish the sentence, cutting herself off with another sob. This was Mira's tribute to their little sister. She couldn't bear to watch it go up in flames.

This pub was what Lisanna always wanted. It was her dream for them to find a place where they could be with friends and have fun. A place where they could _belong,_ even though they were wizards.

Elfman seemed to understand. "As long as we have each other, we'll be all right. You hear me? We can always start another restaurant or pub or whatever. It'll be even better than this one. We can even name it after her this time. Okay? In her memory."

Mira choked back her tears with a nod, shooting the young Task Force Officer a reproachful glare. But she couldn't hate her. Not when she wore that horrified look on her face.

Beth shook her head, taking a step back. The match in her hand had burned down, the little flame nearing her fingers as it worked its way down the matchstick. For a moment, Mira felt a flicker of hope. Maybe she'd reconsider and snuff the fire out.

"Quickly, now," said Kagura.

Swallowing hard, young Beth nodded, flinching as she let the match fall from her fingers. Then she hung her head, as if ashamed. "I'm sorry," she breathed, her voice catching in her throat.

The match hit the drapes, flames licking at the fabric. They ate their way up the drapes and across the walls. The fire spread and grew, enveloping the dining room, and filling the room with smoke.

Mira clung to Elfman, an uncontrollable shudder passing through her. She pressed trembling fingers to her lips, to stop the wail that didn't come. She was too horrified to even cry.

* * *

Erza slashed at the closest officer, knocking him out of the way. He pounced on her, but he was no match for her sword skills. She pressed past three more officers, fighting her way across the room.

This was just like sword practice back at Rosemary. Except with a real sword. Erza forced herself not to think about it too hard. She couldn't afford to. Her family needed her. So she let the adrenal buzz drive her so she could do her do her part.

Lyon was keeping a handful of officers at bay with a menagerie of ice animals, a pinched expression on his face. His magic was fast and clean, but Erza could tell he was flagging. The fighting had aggravated his old injuries more than normal, and he was starting to struggle.

Erza rushed to his aid, helping him to dispatch the last of the officers.

"What are you doing?" hissed Lyon. "You were supposed to stay hidden."

"I'm part of your guild too now, aren't I?" asked Erza. "They wouldn't let you take the fall like that. Just like I can't just sit and watch. This is everything you've worked for. Everything mother worked for."

"What difference do you think your presence makes?" asked Lyon. "You've put yourself in danger. And for what?"

"No," said Erza, shaking her head. "Don't talk like that. You can't give up…"

But Lyon's eyes looked oddly lifeless and his mouth was pulled into a grim line. "Look around," he said. "We're finished."

Horror filled her as Erza looked around the room. Macao had an arm cradled to his side. Whether he was bracing an injury to his torso or favoring a broken arm wasn't clear. Gray was defending an injured Sherry, who was climbing to her feet unsteadily, her hand pressed to a bloody gash across her temple.

They looked so… defeated.

But they couldn't just give up! And Erza would help them see that. If she was the one who was supposed to rally the guild to victory, then she could bring them together now.

Determination renewed, she bolted towards the front of the room. "Come on! We have to keep fighting!" she shouted, hoping to reassemble her faltering teammates. "Don't stop. Don't give up!" Erza brandished her sword.

Her cry drew all eyes towards her, her guild and the Task Force alike. But her rallying cry wasn't the motivation she had hoped for. It was a costly moment of distraction.

"Erza… I knew it," hissed Simon, a look of betrayal flashing in his eyes. He raised his weapon slowly, unflinching as he pointed it at her.

"Simon, don't."

Then he fired two shots, his wrist jerking as he changed his aim at the last second.

The bullets whizzed past.

Erza turned to see Loke crumple to his knees with a groan, a hand pressed to his stomach.

"Loke!" Laki was at his side in an instant, catching him as he slumped backwards. "Loke, no!" she shrieked, cradling him against her.

"Did I ever… tell you… how beautiful you… are?" he gasped.

"Shut up, you idiot," cried Laki. "Don't even!"

"It's true. I just…" He coughed, blood splattering his lips. "Just wanted to say it… at least once."

"Don't talk like that. Don't you dare!" Laki choked angrily, the words tearing from her throat. "Loke!"

Loke reached a trembling hand to brush against Laki's cheek. "Beautiful," he sighed, his hand dropping to the floor as the last of his strength left him.

Laki gave a dry sob, her face crumpling. "Always a pervert," she whispered.

Erza took a step forward, trembling in rage. "Simon, how could you!" cried Erza, her fists clenched. "You've gone too far!"

"It had to be done," he choked. "You've left me with no choice, Erza."

There was a haunted look in Simon's eyes. And in them, Erza could see a glimpse of her old friend. The quiet boy from Rosemary Orphanage. And Erza felt a surge of empathy replace the anger. No matter how hard she tried, she could never hate him.

Erza swallowed hard. Maybe, she could still get through to him.

"Simon, please…" begged Erza. "Call them off."

" _Don't_." Simon's expression hardened as he pointed his weapon at her again. "This is my duty. My duty to the State. I need to keep people safe and stop those who would destroy this freedom in this country that we've built."

The air grew thick with smoke. The orange flames flickered, rising higher.

Erza froze, unable to move as memories came flooding back.

More gunfire. Another scream.

The past? The present? Erza wasn't sure. She fell to her knees, her eyes wide.

 _Time seemed to slow as the old man spread his arms to protect her._

 _A shot rang out._

 _"Grandpa, no!"_

 _He crumpled to the ground._

Acrid smoke and the heat of flames.

And a cold night long, long ago.

* * *

 **She may have blocked her memories as a defense mechanism, but I think it's possible that Erza has a little PTSD that could be triggered by the combination of flames and the gunfire.  
**

 **So what do you guys think about Simon _now_? **

**Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, Erza's memories of the Purging.  
**

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	34. Journey to the Past

**It's Monday!**

 **Here's another chapter where I took liberties with the characters' ages. Erza's a kid in this one (it's her flashback), but the others are the ages you'd expect them to be in canon.**

 **Lily-ana : ****Estoy de acuerdo. Simon está en una situación difícil. Se debate entre la lealtad a su país y su amistad con Erza. En canon, Simon es completamente agradable. Me divertí haciendo su personalidad más complicada. Gracias por tu correo! :)**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

There was a crash.

And another.

And another.

Erza jumped, looking around wildly. Someone in the hallway was yelling. More than one person. They sounded angry.

"What's going on, Grandpa?" she asked. "Grandpa Rob?"

Grandpa was frowning, a deep line pulling into his forehead. He didn't answer.

"So soon?" asked Grandpa's friend.

"I honestly didn't think it would escalate this quickly, Makie," said Grandpa.

Erza could see a shadow through the window. A crowd of people drawing near.

Something outside exploded, the window shattering in a cascade of glass.

The people on the other side of the room jumped to their feet, pushing their way across the room.

Something had caught fire, the flames spreading quickly.

"Grandpa?" she whimpered.

"Everything's fine, child," said Grandpa, but he reached for her hand, wizened fingers tightening around hers.

The door was kicked open. People rushed inside, shouting.

There were grownups running and shouting. So much shouting. And fire. So much fire.

"Power to the people!"

"Die, you filthy wizards!"

Filthy wizard? Was she a filthy wizard?

The words didn't make sense, but they were hurtful all the same.

"This way, Erza. Quickly." Grandpa gave her hand an urgent tug.

"Who are all these people?" asked Erza as Grandpa pulled her along. He moved her to the side of the room.

"These are scary people, Erza," said Grandpa. "But they're not bad. They're just afraid."

"Afraid?" asked Erza. "Of what?"

"Of something they don't understand and can't control."

"What does that mean?"

"For the people!" one shouted.

"Kill the wizards!"

Grandpa's eyes grew wide and fearful as he looked around.

And then a BANG!

Erza covered her ears, hot tears running down her face.

"This is how it ends," Grandpa's friend said. "Rob, my old friend."

"Makarov…" said Grandpa. "To think, after all we've been through…"

"Don't tell me you bunch of old geezers are quittin' already," snorted an older boy. "We gotta get out of here."

"What are you talking about, Laxus?" demanded Grandpa's friend. "We aren't making it out of this."

"So, you're giving up?" The older boy crossed his arms. "I can cut a path out of here. If you're fast, you two can take the girl and run."

"Oh, lad…" said Grandpa sadly.

"Don't be an idiot," snarled Grandpa's friend. "Why don't _you_ take Rob's granddaughter and run?"

Erza shook her head furiously, clinging to Grandpa's leg. She didn't want to go with him. She wanted to stay with Grandpa.

"Looks like the little miss don't like that idea," the older boy drawled. "And there's no way I'm leaving you two old prunes here while I save my own hide. Uh-uh."

"Stubborn brat," whispered Grandpa's friend, his eyes glistening.

The older boy snorted. "Don't get sentimental," he said. "I just don't want to get saddled with some kid."

There was more screaming and that horrible bang, bang, bang! The air smelled like metal and burnt flesh.

Erza whimpered.

A figure came through the smoke.

"Stay behind me," said Grandpa. He stepped in front of her, raising his arms to shield her.

"What's going on? Tell me!" begged Erza. "Grandpa?"

But all she could see was Grandpa's back, strong and straight and protective.

"Be strong, child," he said.

BANG!

Something hot and wet splattered across her face. Erza brought her hand up to wipe at it and her fingers came away red.

"Grandpa?" whimpered Erza. Her heart was pounding so very, very fast.

Grandpa teetered. Slumping sideways. His eyes were empty and sightless as he hit the ground.

"Grandpa, NO!" Erza shrieked.

* * *

Lyon couldn't let this happen. Not to the guild that Ur had spent her life building. He owed it to her. And to the rest of the wizards.

"Leave them alone," said Lyon. "I surrender."

"Lyon, you idiot!" barked Gray. "Stop trying to play the hero!"

"Kagura," command Simon, motioning for his subordinate to take him into custody.

"One condition," interjected Lyon. "Let the others go. If you do that, I'll come quietly."

"You're in no position to make demands," said Simon.

"I think I am. Call your men off and I'll do the same," shouted Lyon. "Otherwise, we'll take you down with us."

"Arrest him," said Simon.

Putting all of his strength into his legs, Lyon lunged, leaping for the gun. But he was wobbling, reeling, falling, still short of the necessary distance. Why had he thought he could make it? It had been years since he had been able to move like that.

He landed hard, the dull ache in his hip suddenly a white-hot pulse of agony. Lyon hissed, scuttling backwards on his hands. He could feel the heat from the fire threatening to melt his skin.

He was staring at the barrel of Simon's pistol.

Then the flames disappeared in a burst of ice.

* * *

She couldn't believe she was doing this. They had barely made it past Acalypha.

"We're getting off here," Ultear said, giving Jellal a hard shove. "Move."

Acalypha wasn't too far from Magnolia. They had walked as far when they had arrived. They could walk back to that disgusting pub from here.

"This isn't our stop, Tear," muttered Jellal, even though he stood and let Ultear usher him off the bus.

"We're going back," said Ultear.

Jellal's head snapped up with an audible crack. "What? Why?" he asked, his eyes wide and startled.

Ultear let a breath out through her teeth. "Because you'll never forgive yourself if you leave now," she said.

"I thought you didn't like them," protested Jellal.

"I don't," said Ultear shortly. "But I don't want you to be unhappy."

"Ultear…" Jellal's hazel eyes widened with emotion. He shook his head, unable to speak.

"Don't read too much into it," she huffed. "Just hurry up."

Jellal took the request literally, setting off at a jog.

Ultear sighed.

He was an irritating man on the best of days, but Jellal had supported her since their early days on the Council. If she was being honest with herself, he was the closest thing she had to a friend. She couldn't take him back to Brago if he was just going to mope over that redhead for the rest of their days.

Revenge on her mother's darling students would have to wait. Some things were more important.

* * *

 **Hm. Ultear might actually have a heart... anyone surprised? What do we think of her now?  
**

 **And of course, we have Jellal to the rescue - and not a moment too soon. :) But, wait... I'm not just going to give it to them.** ** **(Not sure if I mentioned this, but I took a couple of fiction classes in undergrad . We did a lot of peer review and I was told that I typically made happy endings too easy for my characters. So, now I actively look for ways to make things difficult. XD)** There's still a curveball or two to throw, so I'm still going to make Jellal and Erza work for their happy ending. :P But, yes, the tide is beginning to turn.**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, an Ultear flashback:** _Ultear could remember the first time she'd met Jellal._

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	35. Partners

**It's Monday!**

 **So... Ultear turning around last chapter? Did that feel weird to anybody?** **I'm not sure if anyone was questioning that one, but I'm going to call it out anyways. As a reader, I wouldn't trust Ultear, not after all the conniving, back-stabbing, and manipulating she's done. What makes this any different?  
**

 **Or, more correctly, what is it about Jellal that makes her willing to take a step back? When I was writing, I realized there was something incomplete about her motivation without going a little deeper. So I present you, Exhibit J... for the Jellal Incident. (As you read, think about what this says about Ultear _and_ Jellal.)**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Ultear could remember the first time she'd met Jellal.

He was irritating in his confidence and ridiculously self-absorbed. But even then, he was an idealistic fool.

Ultear wandered into a bar, trying to act like she belonged. She hadn't reached her majority yet, but with the way she dressed, no one could tell. At least, that's what she hoped.

She sat down at the counter and ordered a drink, ignoring the leer of the grimy, old man at the far end of the bar. She shivered to herself.

Still, she was starting to get used to the stares. Growing up on the streets of Brago, her goal was to avoid attention. There was a certain safety in being invisible. But now, she _wanted_ to be seen.

She had been campaigning in Arc-en-Fleur, trying to get her name out to the Citizens. It was her first time running for office, and as a newcomer to politics, she hadn't had an easy time of it.

With nine seats on the New Council, she had thought it would be easy to secure one of them for herself. She had always been able to get what she wanted out of people, with nothing more than her charm and her wit. She had even managed to avoid detection by the Task Force when they had swept through Fiore on their Path of Extermination.

She didn't need her mother and that useless student of hers.

Sometimes Ultear wondered where they were and what they were doing. She'd heard stories, but she didn't dare hope.

Part of her wondered if she was running for office so they would see her and find her. But she knew better than that. She was better off without them.

Ultear felt a prickle run down her spine. A distinctly magical presence had entered the bar. Ultear looked to see _him_. Her rival. The one with the ridiculous New Council tattoo over his eye.

This was the ever-popular Siegrain. A newcomer like she was, Siegrain was campaigning hard. Unlike her, Siegrain was actually gaining traction from Fiore's Citizens. He hadn't managed to win last term, though he got pretty close. His odds of actually getting elected this time around were pretty good.

But not for long.

Siegrain was a wizard, of that she had no doubt. And once the Citizens heard that little tidbit, his popularity would plummet like a stone. And if she was the one who exposed his lies? Well, she'd be the darling of Fiore in no time at all.

"How about a little of that over here, sweet cheeks?"

"Excuse me?" Ultear whipped around to see the old geezer from before making his way over. "You're drunk," she said, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

"And you're beautiful," the drunk slurred, reaching out to brush her cheek.

Ultear recoiled, his touch making her skin crawl. A bar was not a good place for her to go. It was one of her rules for herself when she was on her own. What had made her think things were suddenly different now that she was running for office?

She stumbled from her seat, stool scraping against the floor loudly. "Do you not know who I am?" she said stammered, her tongue suddenly dry.

"I know I like 'em young and feisty. What are you doing tonight?" asked the drunk.

"She's with me," interrupted a suave voice.

A hand clamped down on her shoulder and Ultear glanced backwards.

It was him! The man with the ridiculous New Council tattoo!

"Take your business elsewhere," Siegrain advised. "Otherwise, I'll have the Task Force deal with you."

The drunk snarled as he staggered off to another corner of the bar.

Ultear let out a sigh of relief. That had been… uncomfortable.

"You really shouldn't be in a place like this alone," said Siegrain. There was something akin to concern in his gaze.

"Yes, I'm aware," sighed Ultear. "At least, I am now."

"What's your name?"

"You don't know it?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. She knew who _he_ was. Of course, he was hard to miss with that silly tattoo. How desperate did you have to be to get _that_ tattooed on your face?

Siegrain had given her an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid not. We haven't met, have we?"

Ultear blinked. She wanted to be irritated. How dare he not recognize her!? But her surprise kept her anger at bay. Siegrain had helped her, even though she was a complete stranger.

"We've crossed paths on the campaign trail," she said, pulling herself to her full height.

"Ah. You're that new girl. Oh, what was it again? Sorry, there's just so many of us this term."

"I'm sure it'll come to you," she said.

He looked at her, eyes narrowing as he surveyed her carefully. "I'm Jellal," he said finally.

"Jellal? I thought your name was Siegrain?" said Ultear.

"Only in front of _them_ ," said Jellal.

"So, you're choosing to be honest with _me_? What makes you think that's a good idea?" asked Ultear.

"It's a sign of good faith," he said. "We are to be partners, after all."

"Partners? Who said anything about being partners?"

"The way I see it, we have the same goals."

"Oh? The way I see it, that puts us in conflict," said Ultear airily.

"We're both newcomers to the system and younger than your average councilmember. Either we spend all our time trying to take each other out or we work together and figure out a way to both get elected. I don't fancy the odds of facing off against you," he admitted.

"You _are_ a smooth talker," she said, crossing her arms.

"Unfortunately, I don't have your cunning," said Jellal, inclining his head as if implying defeat.

"That's hard to believe," said Ultear.

"Face it, a united front would better serve both of us," said Jellal. "What with all this united Fiore talk going on. And it would be better than fighting amongst ourselves. Besides, I think we might have more in common than you realize."

"You mean that you're a wizard?" Ultear smirked.

Jellal blinked.

For a moment, Ultear thought she saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes. But it was gone so quickly, she wasn't sure.

"Given that you noticed, I'd say that you're no different," responded Jellal, not missing a beat.

Maybe he _would_ make a decent politician. But two could play that game.

"That's the _real_ reason we're partnering up, isn't it? It's so I don't out you."

"I knew you were clever," said Jellal. "So, I'm sure you know that it's a two-way street."

Ultear cursed her own impatience. She'd tipped her hand and now he had her.

"All right, then, Sieg. Partners it is," she purred. Not that she had any choice. They were at a bit of a stalemate here. Of course, she was sure she'd find a use for someone like him.

In hindsight, Ultear would be disgusted by how quickly she'd come to that conclusion, but at the moment, it seemed a reasonable conclusion.

"You still haven't given me your name," he reminded her.

"Ei—" she started to say, cutting herself off before her old name could leave her lips. That wasn't who she was any more. She wasn't Eira, a lost little girl, forsaken by her mother, and replaced by some foundling boys.

Never again. There was a time she'd hoped her mother would weep for her loss. And if not, she'd make sure of it. She'd get her revenge on Lyon and on her mother. She'd be Ur's tears, for that was the name she'd chosen for herself. And she'd get her revenge someday.

"You can call me Ultear."

"Excellent, Ultear." Jellal grinned broadly. "Today, Arc-en-Fleur. Tomorrow, the New Council!"

Ultear snorted at the memory.

He was such an irritating man, but who was the real monster here?

* * *

Ultear almost ran into Jellal as he stopped short in the middle of the street.

"Watch it, Sieg!" snapped Ultear.

Jellal's face paled as looked out into the distance. "Is that…"

Ultear's eyes followed Jellal's hand. But before she could answer, he had bolted down the street.

"Yes, that's smoke," Ultear muttered to herself. Part of her had the sneaking suspicion that Simon had something to do with this. Her stomach gave a guilty twist as she took off after him.

Jellal sprinted the whole way into town. Ultear was gasping for breath by the time she caught up to him in front of the pub.

 _Mirajane's_ was completely consumed by the flames.

"Erza!" shouted Jellal. "Erza!"

Idiot!

Ultear lunged for her stupid friend, locking her arms through his to keep him from any further recklessness. "You can't go in there!"

"Erza's in there! Let go of me! Erza! _Erza_!" Jellal struggled and writhed within her grasp.

"Stop that! You want to get burned to a crisp with her? Stop!" seethed Ultear, giving him a hard shake. "I'm not letting go of you until you calm down."

"But… Erza…" croaked Jellal. He gave a shuddering sigh, falling limp in her arms.

Sighing, Ultear shook her head. Jellal seemed calm enough to let go of, the desperate light having left her eyes. Ultear released him, letting him land on the ground in a heap.

Then she reached deep for a part of herself that she never wanted to see again. A part of her that was cold and fierce and dangerous. Her magic. Her _mother's_ magic.

Concentrating on the unfamiliar sensation, Ultear fought her revulsion and teased the magic to the surface. Ice swallowed the flames, engulfing them in an impenetrable layer. The flames hardened in place, frozen solid.

"Since when do you—" Jellal started.

Ultear glared at him. With a wave of her hand, the thick layer of ice cracked and shattered, flinging shards like broken glass all over the ground. Nothing but smoldering embers and the crumbling walls of _Mirajane's_ remained.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" she said sourly. "Go!"

Jellal blinked stupidly. Then he nodded, wasting no time in rushing inside. "Erza!" Jellal shouted, throwing himself into the fight.

With the flames smothered, Ultear could see the mess of battle through the ruined walls. Injured combatants, guild wizards and Task Force officers alike were locked in combat.

The Resistance wasn't doing well.

Ultear's stomach gave a guilty twist. This was her fault. Her fight was with Lyon and with Gray. The two brats who had replaced her in her mother's heart. Everyone else here was innocent. They were lost children and homeless wizards who had found a family here. In a way, they were like her: just victims of the Purging.

No! Ultear ground her teeth. They were they were that witch's followers. They had joined the Resistance too. They were partly to blame for her mother's abandonment.

Ultear shifted her weight from one foot to the other. What had she come back for?

She didn't have an answer.

Shaking her head, Ultear followed Jellal through the charred doorway.

* * *

 ** **And so, Dimitri rushes into the garden at the direst moment to rescue his girl! Or something like that.  
****

 ** ** ** **I was a little conflicted about that, and I struggled with trying to balance canon strong-Erza with this world's untrained, innocent-Erza. I think she can still be strong, but I think she can still be rescue-able, if the situation is dire enough.**** Hopefully, I've spent enough time on the battle in previous chapters to prove that a) the situation is bleak and b) though untrained, Erza is still a strong character. Let me know what you guys think.****

 ** **And... Ultear uses ice magic! I felt like that was key to her canon acceptance of her identity, so it merited inclusion here. (Yes, for those who picked up on it, the ice that smothered the flames a couple of chapters ago... that was Ultear's. We don't have two epic ice mages putting out the fire at Mirajane's. Hopefully that wasn't too confusing with the flipping back and forth between perspectives.)****

 **Okay, I think I've milked this tension of separating our lovers long enough... :)**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, finally, the Jerza scene (yay!):** _Erza jolted, blinking dazedly. "J-Jellal?" she asked, her voice small._

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	36. Reunion, Reveal, Retreat

**It's Monday! And this week... we have the return of Jellal! Super excited about this. :)**

 **Don't judge Erza too harshly for her reaction at the beginning. Keep in mind, when last we saw her, she just had a bit of a PTSD flashback.**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Jellal elbowed past Ultear, pushing his way into _Mirajane's_.

Jellal didn't care what happened with the Task Force or the New Council. He didn't need to be the people's hero. If Erza was safe, he needed nothing else.

It seemed a little selfish. But he had always been a little selfish.

That night that City Hall burned, and all the guild masters had died, he had been selfish. If he had done his job right and set off the flare when he was supposed to, maybe they wouldn't have died. Maybe help would have come in time. Maybe things would be different.

But _no_ , he had to run into that fire. He might have helped Lyon and Eira that night, but that wasn't why he had done it. It was only because he needed to feel needed.

Even helping the little girl that he'd found, the next morning, by taking her to the nearest orphanage hadn't been purely altruistic.

And when he had convinced himself that he was fighting to end the persecution and create a better Fiore for all wizards, it had still been about himself.

But all that had changed when he met Erza on the steps of Brago City hall that fateful day.

All this time, he had tried to justify his involvement with the New Council by championing better treatment for wizards. After all, he couldn't just stand by and do nothing. But he had abandoned that crusade to help the Resistance overthrow the New Council. Then he had given up on a coup in favor of reuniting Erza with her family.

He didn't really have any real convictions, did he? Lie after lie. One scheme, then another.

Jellal fought his way through the fray. He dodged two Task Force officers and vaulted around an injured Resistance wizard. He couldn't worry about them right now. He had to get to Erza.

Even without his color vision, Jellal had spotted her immediately. She stood in the middle of the fighting, stock still and wide-eyed.

A sense of relief washed over him.

Erza's eyes were sightless and dazed when Jellal approached, almost like she was looking past him, or maybe through him. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Jellal didn't know where her mind had drifted off to, but it certainly wasn't here. And as a fellow survivor of the Purging, Jellal imagined that it wasn't anywhere good.

"Erza? Erza, snap out of it!" he shouted, shaking her by the shoulders. He needed to bring her back from whatever distant memory she was trapped in.

Erza jolted, blinking dazedly. "J-Jellal?" she asked, her voice small.

"Oh, Erza," he breathed. "Thank God." He cupped her face in his palm, brushing at her tears with the pad of his thumb.

"What are you…? I thought you left," she whispered.

"I came back," he said.

Erza shook her head. "You shouldn't have," she said, but she didn't push him away.

"I wouldn't leave you." Jellal tightened his arms around her, pulling her to him. She was so small in his arms. Jellal's mouth went dry. He thought he'd never be able to hold her like this again.

Something had changed when he had met Erza. All the things that he had wanted for his own sake didn't matter anymore. He didn't need a world with magic. He didn't need the adoration of Fiore's Citizens or the respect of being Council Fourth.

None of it mattered anymore.

Erza buried her face into his chest. Jellal wondered if she could hear the pulse of his heart fluttering beneath his ribs. If she could, she didn't say anything. Instead, she nuzzled against him and he pulled her closer.

Ignoring the fighting around them, Jellal let himself relax. He had Erza. They had this moment together. And even if that was all that he had, that's all he needed.

With Erza in his arms, Jellal could no longer deny it. The only love he needed was Erza's. He'd gladly give up everything else, if he could spend the rest of his life by her side.

* * *

She couldn't have planned it better herself.

The chaos of battle was the perfect time for someone to have a little accident. And by someone, Ultear meant Lyon, and possibly Gray.

Ultear whipped out one of the daggers that she kept hidden in her clothes. She looked around, trying to spot her quarry. She caught sight of Lyon, sprawled across the floor.

Simon loomed over him, gun drawn. The barrel was pointed at Lyon's chest.

Something flared within Ultear. She snarled, the dagger leaving her hands before she could stop herself.

Like lightning, the dagger flew through the air with a well-controlled spin. It hit its mark with frightening accuracy. Simon's pistol was knocked out of his hands, clattering to the floor.

Ultear blinked, surprised by her choice. Why had she attacked Simon instead of Lyon?

Simon hissed, whirling to face her. "You?!"

"Hello, Citizen Officer," purred Ultear. She found herself sliding between Lyon and Simon.

"Ultear, what are you doing?" hissed Lyon.

"Shut up," she barked.

God, she wanted him dead. She didn't know which of the two she hated more, but one thing was clear. Ultear wasn't going to let Simon hurt him. Lyon was _hers_.

That's what it was. She had thought she'd be okay with letting the Task Force take him in, but apparently, she had been mistaken. This was her life's goal. She wasn't about to give it up so easily.

"What are you doing here?" Simon demanded.

"I could ask you the same thing," she said.

"It's like I suspected. I find you right in the middle of this mess. I knew you couldn't be trusted," hissed Simon.

"Neither can you," said Ultear. "You weren't supposed to raid the pub until next week. That was our agreement."

"I don't negotiate with traitors," said Simon stiffly.

"That's rich, coming from you," said Ultear. "So, I crossed them, and you crossed me? Is that how this is supposed to work?"

"I did what I needed to," said Simon.

"Everyone has things they need, Simon. You could say that I was doing what I needed to, no different than you," she said matter-of-factly.

"For what?" he asked. "Personal gain?"

"My reasons are my own," said Ultear.

"You're a piece of work," said Simon, shaking his head. "You mingle with the Resistance, then you turn them in. You conspire with Siegrain and then you corrupt Erza." Hatred burned in Simon's glare. "You're as much a danger to the State of Fiore as these wizards are."

"That was _you_?" Gray asked, shaking his head in disbelief. He had fought his way towards them, subduing officers as he picked his way across the room. " _You're_ the one who sold us out?"

"What if it was?" challenged Ultear.

"I assumed that Jellal—" Gray started, paying no mind to the officer that was coming up behind him.

"Gray, behind you!" shouted Lyon.

Gray moved quickly, managing to cast a shield and deflect the oncoming attack just in time.

But Ultear had snapped into action as well. Her hands moved on their own, making flourishing gestures in the air.

Vines of ice shot from the ground. Delicate rosebuds bloomed from brambles. Spiraling. Twining. Ultear had restrained each of the Task Force officers in a thorny cage of ice.

She swallowed hard, her eyes burning. Ultear glared. She did _not_ want to do that.

"That's _her_ spell," muttered Gray, his eyes widening in recognition. "Ultear is Eira?"

Ultear shot Gray a hard look that made him flinch.

Lyon didn't look at all surprised. Instead, his eyes were dull and filled with the sorrow and shame.

"You knew…" accused Gray.

"There's no time for that," said Lyon. "Get everyone out of here."

"But—"

"Now, Gray."

Gray gave a sharp nod. "Retreat! Safehouses A, B and G," shouted Gray. "Pairs and groups. Let's go, people!" But then he turned his attention back to Lyon. "How long have you—"

"Not now, Gray," said Lyon.

"You knew that Ultear was Eira," insisted Gray.

"Of course, I knew," muttered Lyon, his eyes pinching shut. "How do you forget the haunted eyes of the little girl you lost?"

His words made Ultear's chest tighten in the most unsettling way. Lyon sounded almost guilty. Of course, he should feel guilty after what he had done to her.

"I can't believe you…" Gray shook his head. "Then why would you claim Erza as our sister when you knew she really wasn't?"

"Everyone needed something to believe in," sighed Lyon. "This is was our last chance."

"This conversation isn't over. We'll pick up after we get out of here. Come on," Gray said, hauling Lyon to his feet.

Lyon crumpled right away, his face drawn. "I can't," he panted, shaking his head. "I think I overdid it."

"What else is new?" said Gray flatly. "Come on. Let's go. You can do it. Let's go." With a grunt, he hauled Lyon to his feet. "You good now?"

Lyon nodded, though he didn't try to stand on his own.

* * *

Wizards scattered, pushing their way out of _Mirajane's_ , helping the injured and breaking off into groups. Ultear's ice kept the Task Force officers at bay, but for how long?

Ultear's ice. What a strange thought. Jellal had so many questions, but they would have to wait.

Simon fought against the ice that imprisoned him. "Don't think you'll be able to escape. Justice is on the side of the people, and we will deliver it," raved Simon. Jellal doubted he was even lucid enough to notice them.

Erza sighed. "Oh, Simon…"

The man was relentless. "We will triumph because we are on the side of the people. Each to the best of their ability," he declared.

Jellal could see the conflict in Erza's eyes. She hurt for her old friend, but there was nothing that could be done for him. Simon belonged, heart and soul, to the State and the New Council. There was no changing his mind.

"Come away, Erza," said Jellal, shaking his head sadly. He tightened his grip on Erza's fingers, tugging at her hand.

Erza followed wordlessly.

They stood outside the charred ruins of _Mirajane's_ , waiting for Ultear. She was stone-faced as she joined them.

Behind her, Gray hauled Lyon out of the building.

"B isn't that far away. You should have enough of a head start to make it," said Lyon.

"And by 'you,' I'm assuming you meant 'we,'" said Gray. "And we're not going to B. There's no way you're making it up that hill. Safehouse G is the furthest away, but it'll be the easiest walk," he said.

"What about us?" asked Jellal. "Ultear, Erza and myself."

Gray frowned. "I don't think—"

"Come with us," said Lyon. "We have things to discuss."

Gray scowled, shooting Ultear a wary look.

Ultear looked away. "I'll stay here. My magic won't hold them if I leave," she said, her voice flat and dead.

But Lyon wouldn't hear of it. "I'm not leaving you behind again."

An odd look crossed Ultear's face.

Erza was quiet as they followed the rest of their haphazard group towards safehouse G.

"You all right?" asked Jellal softly.

Erza nodded. "Yes, I… I think so." She bit her lip, looking away.

Jellal wasn't sure if she was just shaken from the night's events or if she was still angry with him. Either way, it would be unwise to push her.

Jellal noticed Ultear hanging at the edge of the group, unwilling to get any closer. He had so many questions for her.

"You're the real Eira?" asked Jellal.

"What if I am?"

Jellal shook his head, jaw slack in disbelief.

" _Please_. How else do you think I knew exactly where the Resistance was?" she asked coolly. "I've been keeping tabs on them for years. Planning revenge for what they did to me," she insisted.

"All these years, and you never said anything…" he muttered.

"All these years, and _you_ never recognized me," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"You knew you were her all along, but still you convinced me to go along with your schemes. You lied to me!" hissed Jellal, his hands balling into fists. He had to clench his muscles to keep from striking her.

Ultear returned his glare levelly. "And you lied to Erza. Funny how that works," she said, sweeping past him.

Jellal's eyes widened, the air leaving his lungs as if she'd just sucker-punched him. As much as Ultear's scheming hurt him, what he had done to Erza was so much worse.

* * *

 **Oh, Jellal... Can't you think of any other reason that Erza might be upset right now? Like suddenly finding out that Ultear's the real Eira...?  
**

 **For anyone that's confused about his reaction (pulling away when Erza needs his support more than ever), think about it this way. How many people are close with guys who duck back into their Man-Caves when they're upset? Sometimes they duck away and don't want to talk if they need space to work through things on their own, and for some of us girls it's like: "Are you upset... with me? Or what's your deal? I don't get it and I won't unless you explain it to me..." I've seen some guys, with the best of intentions, decide that they should take a hint and respectfully let the ladies in their lives (friends, sisters, significant others) have the opportunity to duck back into _their_ own Man-Caves to ponder their issues (not realizing that women don't typically _have_ Man-Caves.) :)**

 **It's not a universal rule; everyone's an individual. I'm approaching Jellal with the assumption that he has this communication preference. And just when we thought that he and Erza had finally reunited. (Sigh.) That's okay though. We've got a few more chapters. Plenty of time for him and Erza to kiss and make up. (Hint, hint.) :)**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **:** _"We leave for Bosco tonight, then."_

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	37. Safehouse G

**It's Monday!**

 **Guest : Ultear is an interesting one... She's so angry and bitter that she just won't let go, but I get the feeling that she doesn't even know what she's fighting for anymore. She might even be lashing out at random (Sinking her metaphorical teeth into Jellal? Really? Come on, now!) to try to stay relevant and soothe some of the hurt. Thanks for chiming in!**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lyon followed as Gray led the way to a ramshackle building on the edge of town. The door had been boarded up and the windows were broken.

Every step was agony as Lyon tried to keep pace with the others. But he couldn't stop now. Not until he had made peace with Eira. The _real_ Eira.

"Here we are. Safehouse G," said Gray. "Give me a hand," he said to Jellal as he reached for the boards that crisscrossed over the doorway.

Ultear waved them off. She placed her hand on the wood, aging it with her magic. She strode into the dusty building, without waiting for direction.

She was angry, and Lyon didn't blame her. He didn't even fault her for trying to sell them out to Simon. She had every right to feel hurt and betrayed after he had failed her. Lyon knew that he could never make things right, but he hoped that he could bring her some closure.

The room was wide and open. Dust gathered thick on the walls and the floor.

"Where is this place?" asked Jellal.

"The old print shop," said Gray. "The press used to be right here." Gray pointed at the scratches in the floorboards where the heavy machine used to sit before it was moved, none too gently.

"You mean for newspapers?" asked Jellal.

"Newspapers, pamphlets, advertisements. The Task Force had them shut down for printing propaganda just after we moved to Magnolia. It's been abandoned ever since," said Gray.

"Were they really?" asked Erza. "Printing propaganda, that is."

"That depends on your perspective," said Lyon. "Is pro-magic sentiment considered propaganda?"

"Jason was a good sort. Excitable, but not dangerous," said Gray. "There was no reason for what happened."

"What happened?" asked Erza.

"…The Task Force happened, after his neighbors reported him," said Gray quietly. "He wasn't even a wizard…"

Erza pinched her eyes shut as if the idea pained her. She reminded him so much of Rob.

Lyon heard footsteps behind them.

"Someone's coming," he said. He and Gray both prepared for attack, ice at their fingertips.

Elfman burst into the room. "Has anyone seen Mira?" he gasped, doubling over, his hands braced against his knees.

Gray lowered his hands. "She's not with you?" he asked, frowning.

"We got separated."

"She's probably at one of the other safehouses," said Jellal reasonably.

"I just came from B…" said Elfman.

"There's still safehouse A," said Lyon. "Anyone you haven't seen is probably there."

"Yeah…" said Elfman, sounding like he was trying to convince himself. "That's probably where they are. She's probably with Laki and Loke. I haven't seen them either."

"Sherry took 'em to Yuka's," said Bickslow. "She knew Loke wouldn't make it all the way to a safehouse."

"Bickslow!" exclaimed Erza, a hand flying to her chest. "Don't scare us like that."

Bickslow gave a cheeky wave that contradicted his grim expression as he joined them inside. "The ice-rose spell has worn off. The town's crawling with officers!" commented Bickslow.

"Sherry went to Yuka's? Is she all right?" asked Gray. "She didn't look too great the last time I saw her."

"She's fine. Just a little bump on the head. Besides, Freed went too. He'll take care of them."

"Why didn't you go with them?" asked Elfman.

"I figured I'd check on the boss-man. What are we doing now?"

"We're leaving Fiore," said Lyon.

"We can't keep running," said Gray.

"You know we can't stay here anymore. It isn't safe," said Lyon. "Besides, weren't you the one who said we should move on after one last stand?"

This wasn't at all what Lyon had hoped for, but he doubted they could have done better, even with the element of surprise. He had known this to be a fool's hope from the start. A last-ditch effort at reclaiming a piece of their homeland.

"Where will we go?" asked Elfman, shaking his head.

"Bosco," said Lyon. Then he turned towards Jellal and Ultear. "Perhaps our new friends could weigh in on that?"

"Bosco is still friendly to those who have magic," confirmed Jellal. "Isn't that right, Tear?"

Ultear couldn't muster more than a tight-lipped glare.

"We leave for Bosco tonight, then. We need to send a runner to the other safehouses to let the others know what's going on," said Lyon.

"Well, that's not you," said Gray.

"I know that," he huffed.

"I'll go," said Bickslow. "Just because my name is slow doesn't mean I am," he quipped.

"Me too," said Elfman. "I'm going to safehouse A."

"Then, I'll go to B and then the Wave," said Bickslow.

"Should we wait for you or will you depart from there?" asked Jellal.

"Get away as soon as you can," said Bickslow, uncharacteristically serious. "There's no guarantees of anything," he called over his shoulder before he headed across town. "See you guys in Bosco!"

Elfman frowned, no doubt worrying about his sister.

"Elfman," called Lyon. "There's a chance you might not see Mira at safehouse A. You and Bickslow are running around. She might be too, if she's looking for you."

"Well, I can't leave without her," said Elfman.

"No unnecessary risks," reminded Gray. "Mira would rather have you meet her in Bosco than find out that you threw away your life looking for her in Magnolia."

Elfman nodded before he ducked out too.

"So," said Gray. "Are we ready to go then?"

"I think there are some things we need to talk about. _All_ of us," said Lyon.

Erza looked at Gray and Lyon. Then at Ultear and Jellal. She bit her lip, her gaze dropping to the ground.

"This sounds like a family matter. I wouldn't want to intrude. Excuse me," mumbled Erza, her head bowed. She stumbled to her feet, heading further into the dusty print shop.

"Erza, wait," said Gray. Then he glared at Jellal. "What are you waiting for? Go after her, man."

Jellal shook his head. "I can't."

"What do you mean 'you can't'?" demanded Gray.

"She doesn't want to see me right now," said Jellal. "And frankly, I don't blame her. And besides, I…" Jellal's features twisted with a war of emotion. He smoothed it away quickly. "The air in here is a bit stale. I think I need to step outside," he finished lamely.

Gray shot Jellal a disbelieving glare. "Oh, for God sake!" he muttered. He shook his head as he took off after Erza.

"I suppose it's just us, now," said Lyon, turning his gaze towards the only other person in the room. "It's been a long time, hasn't it, Eira?"

* * *

 **Ugh... Jellal! Way to ditch out, dude. I get it though. And I figured it was a good way to let the canonical _"She's better off without me, therefore I'm not going to go after her."_ rear its ugly head here. But don't worry, we'll fix that in due time.**

 **Though, what do you suppose happened to Mira?**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, healing begins for both Ultear and Erza.  
**

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	38. Family

**It's Monday!** **I posted this same note, pretty much verbatim, on my other story series late last week, but since I write for a couple of different audiences, it felt fair to include it here as well. I am equally grateful to all my readers and friends regardless of which of my stories they have chosen to read.  
**

 **On a very personal front... I have finally finished my master's degree- yay! :) You're probably wondering why I'm bringing this up. I only started writing and posting fanfic because of all the stress from school... and because my work situation went from dream job to toxic.** **Without getting into too many details and being a whiny drama llama, let's just say that between the pressures of working on a degree part time and drama at work, it was a tough place to be.**

 **In a way, FT and being part of the fandom sort of helped me through a very confusing and difficult time for me. But that's largely thanks to you guys. For a while, getting to write for you and share with you every week was the one and only thing I looked forward to. And getting to connect with everyone was amazing. It really helped a lot. So THANK YOU! Thank you to everyone who supported me through this. Thank you for reading. Thank you for reviews and PMs and fun conversations. Especially those who I've really connected with and had to put up with my different moods and phases and all that during this transition. Thanks for becoming one of my friends.**

 **My work situation has since cleared up, and I am now finished with school. I'm hoping that means that I'll have more time to spend writing, but it is worth pointing out that my initial reason for writing no longer exists. This story's safe... we're almost at the end anyways.** **I'm not sure if that's going to have an impact or not, longer term on other stories.**

 **But on to something more fun. :) This week we've got a doozy. Finally, Ultear confronts Lyon and Erza gets to deal with the fall out of learning that she isn't Eira. (And what will she do now?) Guest reviews below, and then on with the story!**

 **update faster : I'm trying my best! :)**

 **Lili-ana :** **Pobre Erza! Es triste que ella sepa la verdad. Debemos tener confianza en Gray para tomar la decisión correcta. Y Mirajane ... tendremos que esperar para saber. :) Gracias por tu correo.**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Eira?" said Lyon quietly.

His calmness made her skin crawl. Ultear felt dormant rage bubble to life within her chest. Didn't this man feel anything at all?

"It's good to see you again, _brother_ ," she spat.

"Will you'll come to Bosco with us?" asked Lyon. "I'd like it if you did."

"I don't think so," said Ultear through bared teeth.

"No?" asked Lyon, irritatingly composed.

"But I'll be sure to let the New Council know where to find you. The Task Force will catch you and the others before you reach the border. We'll crush the Resistance once and for all!"

 _That_ got a reaction. But not the one she was expecting.

"How dare you!" Lyon's voice was low and dangerous. "The legacy that your mother gave her life to create! You would destroy it for the dogs on the New Council?"

"That witch cared for nothing but her magic!" hissed Ultear.

"Shut your mouth!" roared Lyon. "You know nothing about Ur!"

"You mean how she abandoned me?" Ultear shrieked. "How she had the time to create this Resistance you're so proud of, and train you and Gray to be ice wizards, but she never bothered wondering what happened to her only daughter?" Ultear lashed out with her magic, a manic pulse in her veins. A blast of jagged ice shot across the room like lightning.

Ultear was fast, but Lyon was faster. With practiced motions, he cast a shield to deflect the blow.

"She searched for you. She _tried_ to find you. She _never_ gave up hope that you were alive!" he said, his voice thick with emotion.

"And I was _so_ hard to find!" she cried, her voice breaking. "I ran for public office! My face was on posters on every street corner!" she choked, her eyes stinging.

Ultear swore, swallowing back her tears. She wasn't going to cry. She was going to _kill_ him. Then her revenge would be complete.

This was the moment she'd waited her whole life for.

The room trembled as she reached for her magic. Calling upon her power, she formed darts of ice and held them ready. She didn't need a dagger to kill somebody. Ice would work just as well. And it'd be even more appropriate.

"Do you even know what happened to me?! What I had to go through?" she shrieked.

"I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head. "I'm sorry I didn't hold on to you better. Forgive me."

Ultear froze, her hand still over her head. "You…"

 _I spy something orange._

"It's my fault. It's all my fault. I tried…" he choked. "You slipped out of my arms and I couldn't… I'm _so_ sorry, Eira…"

"Lyon…" Ultear could feel her rage ebbing. She tried to keep her anger, reminding herself of how she had suffered because of them. Lyon and her mother and Gray and their stupid Resistance. But like ice, it melted away. Her darts fell from her fingers, hitting the floor with a clank.

"It was an accident, I swear. We went back for you. We tried to find you. Even after that… we tried… so hard," he faltered.

 _Fine. I'll carry you, but just for a little bit, okay?_

Ultear took a shuddering breath. "I sat there… for so long… I waited for you…"

"We've found you now," he whispered, taking one unsteady step forward, then another. "I'm sorry it took so long."

 _You're really heavy. And I carried you the whole way already._

Lyon hugged Ultear to his chest, tightening his arms around her trembling frame. She didn't resist.

 _It's fine. I've got her._

"Come with us," he said.

Ultear shook her head frantically, trying to push away from him. "I can't. I _can't_!"

"You belong with _us_ , Eira. Please… sister."

"Sister?" she asked, her voice thin.

"Come home."

Ultear shook her head again, pushing the memories aside. "Didn't you hear me when I said I wanted to destroy the Resistance?" whispered Ultear. "Didn't you hear me when I said I wanted to kill you?"

"I heard you," said Lyon.

"Then _why_? WHY?!"

"Because you belong with us," said Lyon.

"I want you dead," she spat.

"No, you don't. If you had really wanted me dead, you wouldn't have had to lift a finger. You would have just watched Simon blow a hole through my chest. You would have let the Task Force finish us off instead of helping us escape."

"That's not… that's not true!" hissed Ultear. "That's not why."

"Stop that," chuckled Lyon, his eyes glistening fondly. "You won't be able to convince me otherwise."

"Are you questioning my convictions?"

Lyon shook his head. "Of course not," he said, his voice so quiet that she could hardly hear it. "But something drove you to save us. Do you know what it was?"

"…A momentary lapse of judgement?" Ultear tried weakly.

"It's that bond that we share."

Ultear sighed, searching Lyon's face. "How can you take me back so easily? How could you forgive me for what I've done?"

"You're family," he said.

"Family?" repeated Ultear.

Lyon nodded, pulling her close again. "I've got you this time. And this time I'm not letting go. _Eira_."

* * *

So that was it.

 _Ultear_ had been Eira all along. No wonder she had always seemed a little strange. And there were moments when Erza suspected that the other woman hadn't liked her.

But if Ultear was Eira, then that meant that Erza wasn't…

Erza was just Erza…

Erza was nobody…

Erza paced the back room of the printshop, though it was more of a storage closet than a room. Piles of crates and rolls of yellowed paper lined the wall. A handful of metal letters used for printing had been scattered across the floor.

She thought she'd found a place to belong. And for a short time, everything was perfect happiness with Mira and Gray and Laki and the others.

But now… _now_ where would she go?

She didn't belong here. She didn't belong anywhere. She was a nobody. Just a red-haired urchin from Rosemary Orphanage.

"I thought I saw you come this way," Gray said. "This is a bit awkward, isn't it? How're you holding up?"

"Me? What about you? You aren't upset? I lied to you!" said Erza.

Gray sat down on a dusty box, making a face as he got grime on his hands. He wiped his palms on his pants. "We aren't entirely blameless here. Lyon knew the odds of finding Eira were slim at best, but we both chose to believe in it. This isn't the first time we've been wrong."

"Seeing as the _real_ Eira is right next door, it wasn't as impossible as you might have thought," said Erza.

"Let's just say it was a mistake, yeah? And Lyon knows that, too," said Gray. "So, don't worry."

"So, he forgives me?" asked Erza. "And you do too?"

Gray nodded. "Yes."

"But how?"

"Forgiveness is a choice," he reminded her.

"That's more than a nobody like me deserves," Erza whispered around the lump in her throat. She sank down onto the crate next to him, her knees starting to wobble.

"You're not a nobody. You're Erza Scarlet." Gray pulled her into a fierce hug. "You'll always have a place with us."

"But I'm not Ur's daughter..." she protested.

Gray shrugged. "And I'm not really Ur's son. I'm a foundling, too," said Gray softly. "My parents died when I was small."

"Were they wizards, like Ur was?"

"I don't know," said Gray. "I think so. At least, I like to imagine they were. After the Purging, anti-magic attitudes became the norm. It spread across Fiore like wildfire as Task Force officers marched across the country, from town to town. The Path of Extermination is what I think they called it. One of them was a town called Neves, up in snowy Isvan."

Gray's eyes held a sorrow that aged him.

"Your home?" guessed Erza.

Gray nodded. "They razed it to the ground. Killed everyone they could find. Maybe they were all wizards," shrugged Gray. "By some miracle I managed to survive. I was the only one," said Gray, his voice hollow.

Erza waited for Gray to continue. But he didn't.

"What happened then?" she prompted gently.

"Hm? Oh, Ur and Lyon found me and took me in. He's not really her son either. He'd been her student from back before the Purging. Although, I guess you could say that he was planned. I was an accident," said Gray, cracking a grin. "Still, they welcomed me and made me part of their family."

Family… That must have been nice.

"And we traveled across the country, looking for Eira, or sometimes just to get away from the Task Force. We started picking up others like Sherry, Mira and Freed. That was sort of how the Resistance came into being. We were a little like a guild, just like the one Ur used to run before the Purging. Ur used to say that a guild was a family. You're part of ours now."

"I am?" asked Erza.

"Only if you want to be. We're not going to force you. The Resistance isn't an easy place to be. Even if we do make it out of Fiore, there's no guarantees," he reminded her. "There are plenty of other Wizards who have gone off on their own instead of joining up with us. If you wanted to, you could do the same. You could stay in Fiore, maybe go into hiding. It might even be safer if you did. The choice is yours."

Erza bit her lip, weighing her options. "I want to learn magic and train with the others."

Gray nodded. "Okay. Get ready to run, then. We leave for Bosco in an hour."

* * *

 **Little backstory for Gray, warm feelings all around. Except... where's that Jerza reconciliation? (It's coming! We've got two more chapters - can you believe it, guys? So close to the end!)  
**

 **Interested in seeing your reactions to Ultear's 'subplot,' since that pretty much ties it up. It was the first time I got to write a character like that, so it was a really interesting experience. I, personally, thought it was harder to relate to and harder to tell her story, since most of us aren't in such a dark place. I mean, life-long revenge and plots of murder? Let's hope that most of us aren't there. :) I'm reminded of my old writing teacher saying that all of us have some darkness or negative qualities in us. I did appreciate getting to experiment with her as a character and trying to make that relatable. I'd like to work with more dark or 'evil' characters in the future. Our next story will have quite a few of our faves showing their villainous side. We'll talk more about _that_ next week.**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, we're not in the clear yet:** _Simon's eyes were wild as he stood before them. "I can't let you leave," he said, his voice wavering. "The Resistance cannot be allowed to escape."_

 **Stop back next Monday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	39. Love

**It's Monday! Second to last chapter, you guys!**

 **PlayerUnknown : I like epilogues too, so the final chapter does happen to be one! So hopefully you'll enjoy that. But, um... so how much would you hate me if I said that all of everything was written since last December, and I've just been sitting on them for funsies? (/shot.) What can I say, I'm just a troll-lololol that way. XD Just kidding - I typically don't start posting anything until the entire story is complete, but there's a method to my madness. I absolutely hate when writers that I like start great stories and I get hooked and they never finish and I never get to find out what happened in the end. Hate that. This is the only way that I can promise that I'm not going to do that to you guys. It's sort of my commitment to not to leave you guys hanging (for long). :) Anyways, thanks for the review; I appreciate you making me part of your week!  
**

 **Guest : I'm happy to get to write for you guys! I consider it an honor and a privilege. I'm just glad you're enjoying the story. Here's to making Mondays better. :) Thanks for reviewing - and I really appreciate your congratulations. It was thoughtful and it brightened my day. So, thank you! :)**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Forgiveness is a choice. That's what Gray had said.

Jellal might have lied to her, but Ultear had been deceiving him. And whatever his intentions had been at the start of their journey, she could hardly question the motivations of a man who had come to their rescue, especially when he had nothing to gain and everything to lose.

That said, Erza wanted to apologize to him properly before they left for Bosco. There was no need to part ways on bad terms.

Erza found Jellal standing outside, his back against the wall. He looked up at the sky, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Thank you for coming back for us," she said.

"Are we speaking to each other?" he asked calmly.

Erza winced. "I… I'm sorry," she said. "I judged you harshly."

"You have nothing to apologize for," said Jellal. "I should have told you the truth."

Erza opened her mouth to speak, but she shut it again. There was just so much she wanted to say, and she wasn't sure where to start.

"Can we put this behind us?" he asked.

"We can try," she said quietly. His deception had still hurt. And part of her would continue to question him, unsure if she should really trust him.

"Are you all right?" he asked, his eyes gentle.

"We're all fine, thanks to you and Ultear."

"You're leaving now?"

"Soon," said Erza. "You should get going. You'll want to be long gone before the New Council sends their reinforcements," said Erza. "It's too late for Ultear, but not for you. There's no proof that you were involved. You can still go back."

Jellal shook his head. "I'm not going back."

"What do you mean?" asked Erza.

"I'm coming with you to Bosco," said Jellal.

"But what about the New Council?"

"Forget the Council!" said Jellal. He caught her hands, clasping them between his. "I want to be with you. That's all that matters."

"Think about what you're doing," urged Erza, shaking her head. "Coming with us would jeopardize your position on the New Council, if not your life! Jellal, you need to leave!"

"I did. I _tried_ to leave," he said. "I thought I could leave it all behind and go back to Brago, but I couldn't. We made it all the way to Acalypha. But that was when I realized where I really belonged. It wasn't back at the Council. It's here with you, Erza."

"You mean it? You're not just saying that?" she whispered.

Jellal's eyes were locked on hers as he lifted her chin. He bent and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips that made her stomach flutter.

"I'm not just saying that," he whispered before kissing her again, his hand tangling in her hair.

His touch made her feel safe and warm, like she'd found somewhere to belong. Someone to belong with. Erza reached up, her arms encircling his neck, letting the feeling wash over her like a wave.

"Jellal…" she breathed, her face warm. Erza's heart thumped in her chest, filling her ears with the sound of her pulse. As he deepened the kiss, Jellal's other hand driftied to the small of her back. Erza's eyes fluttered shut.

As they kissed, time seemed to speed up, or maybe it slowed down. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. They had each other.

"Ahem."

Erza jumped, breaking away from Jellal hastily.

Gray was watching them, his hands jammed into his pockets. He looked supremely uncomfortable, eyes darting back and forth.

"Not to interrupt, but it's time to go," Gray muttered.

"We'll finish this later," Jellal promised.

They joined the rest of the group as they fled into the night. The air was cool on Erza's face as they traveled.

Of course, they didn't get very far before Lyon's old injuries started to give him trouble.

"We don't have time for you to have a flare-up," complained Gray.

"You think I plan for these?" hissed Lyon, his hand braced against his bad hip. "Look, just leave me behind."

"No way, man!" growled Gray.

"Stop being stubborn!" snapped Lyon.

"You said you wouldn't leave us again," said Ultear quietly, accusation in her tone.

Lyon looked from her to Gray. Then he sighed, hauling himself back to his feet.

Ultear turned towards them. "Sieg, take Erza on ahead. We'll catch up."

"What are you saying, Tear? We can't just abandon you."

"She's right. Our chances _are_ better if we split up," Lyon admitted. "Especially with me slowing you down."

"Then walk faster!" barked Gray.

"This is as fast as I can go," huffed Lyon. "Why don't you two go with them?"

"Forget it," said Gray. "I see what you're trying to do, and it's not gonna work."

"We'll catch up," repeated Ultear, giving her old partner a nod.

"Be safe," said Erza.

"You too," said Gray.

"I'll see you in Bosco, Sieg."

"Good luck, Tear," said Jellal.

Erza and Jellal separated from the others, making much better time. Erza wasn't exactly sure where they were headed, but Jellal seemed to. She put her faith in him as they pressed hurried down the road.

A voice cut through the darkness. "Hold it right there."

Heart thundering in her throat, Erza turned, finding herself staring into the barrel of a pistol. She wasn't at all surprised to see the young man who held it wore the grey uniform of the Task Force.

"Simon," she breathed.

Simon's eyes were wild as he stood before them. "I can't let you leave," he said, his voice wavering. "The Resistance cannot be allowed to escape."

Erza shook her head, her throat too tight to form words.

"I love you, Erza. I've always loved you," he said hoarsely.

Erza's heart stopped, her ears ringing, hollow and empty. He _what?_

"Don't do this. Don't make _me_ do this," he begged, his eyes bright and feverish.

Jellal shouldered his way between them, shielding her from the crazed soldier.

"Jellal, _no_!" she hissed, clawing at his shoulder. Simon had shot Loke earlier. Erza knew he was more than capable of pulling the trigger.

And so did Jellal.

"Put it down, Simon," said Jellal, his voice steady. His unwavering demeanor was almost frightening.

"Why should I listen to you? You've turned your back on the New Council! On everything we believed in!" he snarled.

"Stand down, Simon."

"You're a traitor, Citizen Siegrain," he spat.

"Be that as it may, my conscience is clear," said Jellal softly. "At least I haven't turned my back on the world. Can you say the same? Think about what you're doing. Think about who you're hurting."

"What I'm doing is protecting Fiore from the likes of you."

"Let us go. We won't make any trouble," begged Erza. "You'll never hear from us again after this."

Simon didn't move, continuing to hold his weapon out. But his hands shook.

Erza's voice trembled. "Simon, _please_."

With a shuddering breath, Simon dropped his arm. " _Go_ ," he choked, his face crumbling. For a moment, Erza thought she saw a glimpse of her old playmate. She had a feeling this would be the last time.

Jellal's shoulders sagged in relief. "Thank you, old friend," he said quietly.

"I'm not doing it for you," he hissed, his eyes narrowing. His gaze locked on Erza's. "Just this once, for old time's sake."

"Thank you, Simon. Goodbye."

Simon said nothing as he watched them disappear into the night.

* * *

 **And so, Jellal and Erza escape into the Swiss Alps with their many childr... wait, wrong movie. XD  
**

 **I probably should have addressed this a couple weeks back, but with only one chapter to go, this is as good a place as any. Some of you may be a little curious about the direction this plot had taken. Why did the Resistance run? Why didn't they topple the new order and reinstate the Guilds? There's a couple reasons for this. The biggest one is that in the plot of Anastasia (which was very loosely based on historical events)** **, really centered on Anya's journey and how she found her place... which wasn't her old life or even her new life with Grandmama. It was moving on with Dimitri (similar to Erza's narrative here). It was the Broadway musical that brought some of the historical and political aspects into play.** **The animated film didn't touch on that much, if at all. Not having seen the Broadway version, I can't speak to exactly how they ended things. But if they stayed true to history, as they claimed, t** **here was no going back to the way things used to be. But that was never the goal for Anya, and was likely beyond the scope of what they set out to accomplish.**

 **I know that a lot of popular contemporary dystopian fics end with a victory that allows the protagonist to reset of the world and begin anew. (I'm thinking Hunger Games, specifically, but there are others.) But some of my favorites - I'm thinking of a couple specific titles by George Orwell - ended with a world that looked much like what the protagonist started with. I thought it was appropriate to take that path... because I like the idea, and because I think it's realistic. What difference could such a small group of people make towards overturning the New Council? Admittedly, it's a depressing thought, and far less pleasing than 'If we all band together, we can do anything! Every one of us can make a difference.' But (from an artistic standpoint, only) I can sort of appreciate how poignant it can be to feel small and helpless in a world that's much bigger than us. I think we've all felt that way at some point in our lives. It can feel a little unfair, but I think that's true to life. And I think the sort of hopelessness and injustice is fitting for a dystopian story.**

 **But through the despair, there can be hope.**

 **Last week, I promised some teaser hints on the next story adaptation that you'd see from me. I'm going to be switching to a different ship as the focus (because I have no loyalties, because I get bored, and because it's fun, lol). Their archetypes were perfect when I was looking for characters to cast. But what story will it be? It's one that features** **fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, and miracles... Here's a (slightly more obscure) quote from the movie: "** ** **Life is pain** , Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something." This is one of my favorite, _favorite_ films. Does anyone recognize it?! :) (For those who do, yes, I could have picked a much better quote. It's such a quotable film. But then I wouldn't get to send you Googling, and where would be the fun in that? ******XD** )  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _Journey to the Past_** **, the epilogue:** _Magic was part of everyday life in Bosco, so there was no longer any need to hide._

 **Stop back next Monday for the final installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	40. Epilogue: Home

**It's Monday!**

 **Hey, whoa, you guys... This is it! This is the last chapter of _Journey to the Past_. ****Big thank you to everyone who's joined us (and Erza and Ultear) on this 'journey'. Your support has blown me away and it's been such a great experience.** **I know people say that writers need to write for themselves first, but writing for myself is boring... It's been a privilege to share this story with everyone.** **Extra thanks to all of my regular reviewers (you know who you are ;)) Your notes brighten my day and make all of it worth it. Thanks!**

 **Be sure to check my post-chapter notes to see what else I'm working on.**

 **marcus : You got it! Hopefully this chapter ties up our loose ends and gives a flavor for what life for Jellal, Erza and the rest of the gang will be like now that they're in Bosco. Thanks!**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

An orange bird on a green banner. The flag of Old Fiore flew proudly outside the new building. Magic was part of everyday life in Bosco, so there was no longer any need to hide.

Ultear and the others had escaped to Bosco, setting up in a small, unassuming town near the border. It had taken a few weeks for everyone to find their way there, but eventually they did.

A new pub was opened for their headquarters, though it was still called _Mirajane's_.

New members started joining as well. Some of them were refugees from Fiore. Others were Bosco natives who had heard about Ur's guild and the resistance movement in Fiore. All were wizards.

The latest additions were a spritely water wizard accompanied by a gruff teen with a face full of metal studs.

"This the place?" growled the boy. He looked around warily.

The girl pulled him over to the nearest table. "It looks like it. Let's introduce ourselves! My name's Juvia and I—" the girl broke off midsentence, her eyes growing wide as they fell on the Gray and Lyon as they poured over guild documents. "I think I'm in love!" she breathed.

Ultear laughed to herself. Her brothers would have their hands full with this one. But, of course, they wouldn't turn her away. They never turned anyone away.

"Join the club. Those two are _hopeless_ ," sighed Sherry. "Take it from me."

"He's mine!" insisted Juvia. "I saw him first. Back off, Love Rival!"

Sherry put her hands up placatingly. "Knock yourself out. Just don't say I didn't warn you," she said, shaking her head. She left Macao to sort out the new girl and moved over to join Bickslow.

"Someone moves fast," commented Bickslow. "Almost as fast as you do."

"I tried to warn her. Lyon's hopeless, and I'll bet Gray's just as bad. Worse, maybe," insisted Sherry.

"That didn't stop _you_ ," said Bickslow.

"Love is love," shrugged Sherry, a wistful smile playing at her lips. "By the way, have you seen Freed?"

"The other room," he shrugged. "At the Wall."

"Ah." Sherry's smile turned sad. "That's love too," she said.

One of their new members was Reedus. He was a painter, at least that's what he told everyone. The Wall had been his idea. Or maybe he was just the reason they had started it.

Ur's picture had gone up first.

They had been telling stories one night, and Reedus had scratched away at a sketch pad with a sharpened lump of charcoal.

Ultear had burst into tears when she saw her mother's face smiling back at her from the page. Worried, Gray and Lyon had rushed over—well, Gray did, and Lyon hobbled after him.

They were shocked at how lifelike Reedus's work was, pronouncing it to be a perfect likeness of their old master.

In a sense, her mother had founded the guild and started the Resistance movement. It seemed a fitting tribute to hang it up.

Then, Jellal and Erza had asked Reedus to try his hand at drawing Erza's grandfather. Of course, he had done wonderfully.

"Why stop there?" asked Lyon. "Why not draw all the guild masters of Old Fiore?"

"Why not everyone who died in the Purging?" suggested Gray.

Between Jellal, Lyon, Ultear and Erza, they managed to remember all those who fell the night of the Purging. Erza's Grandpa Rob. Old man Makarov. His grandson, Laxus. Ichiya and Hibiki. Gildarts. Yajima. Lahar. Doranbolt. And so many, many more whose names had long been forgotten, but who would always live on in their memories.

Friends and family of each guild wizard started to appear on the Wall. Reedus brought everyone's memories to life with his careful hand and a loving eye.

Sherry's baby cousin.

Macao's wife and son.

Yuka's sister and three brothers.

Jason, from the print shop.

Freed's fiancée.

Gray's parents.

Toby's best friend.

Elfman contributed stories of a younger sister, Lisanna. And eventually he let Mirajane's picture join them, smiling down on the guild like she always had when she was alive.

All were forever memorialized in charcoal.

Time passed, and things started to get better.

For a while, Ultear worried about Elfman. They all knew what it was like to lose family.

These days, he was the one running _Mirajane's_ , honoring his sister's memory by keeping the pub just as she had. The persecution of magic-users may have taken both of his sisters from him, but he continued with a smile, carrying on in their stead. Though there were days when Ultear would catch him staring out into the distance, a far-away look on his face.

Of course, Kinana would have none of that. She and Erik had found their way to Bosco as well. Kinana was no Mirajane, but she had a sharp wit and she knew how to work a restaurant floor. Ultear could tell that Elfman appreciated the distraction.

But there would always be days when it was hard to smile.

Almost a year after they had been in Bosco, a strange girl entered the guild.

"Welcome to _Mirajane's_!" boomed Elfman. "What can I do for ya?"

The newcomer pulled her yellow raincoat tightly around herself. "I'm looking for my dad," she said, jamming her hands deep in her coat pockets. "He was a Fiore guild wizard. I was hoping maybe he'd come this way."

"Who was your father?" asked Gray.

The girl bit her lip. "His name is Gildarts," she said.

"Gildarts?" repeated Gray. He and Lyon exchanged glances.

Finally, Lyon spoke. "I'll take this one. What's your name?" he asked the girl gently.

"It's Cana."

"All right. Come with me, Cana," said Lyon. "There's something you need to see."

Cana's expression sobered. She fell into step behind Lyon as he shuffled toward the Wall and Ultear knew that nothing good would come of it.

Ultear frowned at their retreating backs. Some days it felt like it would never end.

"It's okay," said Gray, patting the back of her hand.

"No, it's not," said Ultear.

"It's not the first time Lyon's had to have this talk with someone. He can handle it."

"I know he can," snapped Ultear. "But that doesn't make it okay and it doesn't make it any easier."

"No, it doesn't," agreed Gray. "But this is the world we live in. These things happen. Honestly, we're lucky to have gotten as far as this. We're lucky to have each other."

"You think this is lucky?" asked Ultear.

"I think things could be much worse," said Gray, practical as ever.

"Will it never end?" sighed Ultear. They may have escaped Fiore, but the remnants of their past still bled into their present, staining the new future they were trying to build.

Gray sighed. "I don't think… I'd be lying if I said that we'd wake up one morning to a better world. We've all got scars from this. It's the ones that you can't see that hurt the most. So we smile through the pain and focus on the good."

"That's… oddly philosophical, coming from you," she remarked.

Gray shrugged. "I have my moments. So, is she all settled in?" he asked as Lyon made his way back to his seat.

"Cana's trying to decide if she wants to stay with us or not. I left her with Macao. He's gotten good with new recruits lately." Lyon braced himself against the table, levering his weight into the chair with a groan. "I'm getting too old for this…" he sighed. "Next time it's your turn."

"Quit talking like you're an old man," said Gray.

"I do have seven years on you, Gray. Keep that in mind."

"You don't need to push yourself so hard," Ultear reminded Lyon. She was trying to take Gray's advice and focus on the good. "You've done your part, Brother. Let me and Gray handle things."

"Don't worry so much, Eira. I'm fine. Besides, you know Gray and I are always like this. It's just talk."

"You _still_ need to be taking better care of yourself. We want you here to run the guild with us for a good, long time," insisted Ultear.

"I'm not going anywhere," chuckled Lyon. "Don't worry so much."

Gray scowled. "You say that but, but you have an incredibly short memory when it comes to these things."

"That's rich, coming from you," snorted Lyon. "Who forgot it was his turn to do the dishes yesterday?"

"Promise," interrupted Ultear. "Promise you won't leave me."

Lyon blinked at her, startled. "I… I promise," he stammered.

Ultear gave a smug grin. They had patched up, but Lyon still felt guilty about what happened when they were children. Ultear knew that he was unable to deny her requests, and she always used it to her advantage. After all, that was what little sisters did, wasn't it?

"That was a low blow," said Gray.

"I did what was necessary," protested Ultear. "And it wasn't like you were having any better luck."

"Spoken like a true politician," said Gray.

Ultear glared at him. "Don't remind me."

"It's not a bad thing," said Gray, his tone placating. "If I'm not careful, Lyon'll leave the guild to you instead of me. Natural-born leader you are. It's not a bad thing," he said again.

"He's not leaving the guild to anybody yet!" said Ultear. "Weren't you listening?"

"And who said you were ever in the running, Gray?" asked Lyon.

"Excuse me?" sputtered Gray. "Who ends up running the place every time you're out of commission because of another one of your idiotic stunts? Me, that's who. At this point, I might as well—"

"Yes, but he won't be doing that anymore," interrupted Ultear. "Because he promised."

"I didn't say—" started Lyon.

"Yes, you did," said Ultear quickly. "Don't think you can win against me. I was a politician once, remember?" She smiled sweetly.

Gray huffed, folding his arms over his chest. "Oh, so it's all right for you to say it, but not me?"

"Sounds about right," said Ultear nodding.

Lyon chuckled. He gazed at both of them fondly, a soft smile on his face.

"What's the matter with you?" said Ultear, squirming under his scrutiny.

"I just wish your mother could see us now…" said Lyon. "I wonder what she would say."

"I think Ur would be proud. Of all of us," said Gray.

Ultear smiled, putting one hand on Lyon's shoulder and reaching for Gray's hand with the other. Her eyes flicked towards the Wall, where she knew her mother's picture would be.

 _Can you see me, mother? I'm home._

* * *

It took some time for Jellal to get used to Bosco. He'd walk down the street, and no one knew his name. He'd express his opinion, and no one would give him the time of day. The town's people didn't love him.

But that didn't matter.

He had the love of the one person who did.

Erza.

The guild that sprung from Ur's Resistance flourished in Bosco, and Erza flourished along with it. She seemed happy being around other wizards and getting to learn magic. With as good as she'd gotten, you'd think she had been using it all her life.

"You've gotten better," he told her.

"You think so?" she asked.

"I'm almost afraid to spar with you now…" said Jellal, his tone serious.

"I'll go easy on you," said Erza earnestly. "I promise."

Jellal chuckled, pressing a kiss to Erza's forehead.

He and Erza weren't the only happy couple that had risen from the flames of tragedy.

Loke strolled into the guild with a grin on his face. He didn't bother greeting Jellal or any of the others as he passed.

"Morning, Beautiful," he crooned, plopping down next to Laki and draping an arm around her shoulders.

"Still a pervert," huffed Laki, even as she nestled against his side.

Loke had, fortunately, made a full recovery. During his convalescence, Laki had refused to leave his side for an instant, though they still bickered constantly.

"You'll never guess what I found," Loke said. He tugged on Laki's ponytail playfully.

"Your brain?" asked Laki, swatting his hand away.

"Ooh, good guess," said Loke. "No, it's actually something you'll all want to see," he said, putting a piece of greyed paper on the table and unfolding it. "Come on over, you guys."

"A newspaper?" asked Laki. For that was what it was. "And here, I thought you had something interesting."

"Not just _any_ newspaper. A newspaper from Fiore," said Loke.

"Let's see it," said Jellal. He and Erza joined the others at the table. He pulled Erza into his lap.

"I found it blowing around earlier. Whoever bought it, somebody traveling from Fiore, probably threw it out when they were done with it," said Loke.

"It's _old_ ," Laki sighed, starting to push the newspaper away in disinterest. "Leave it to you to pick up garbage," she added with a disdainful sniff.

"It's only from last week," protested Loke. "Hey! What are you—" Loke yelped as Laki snatched the newspaper back.

"That Task Force Officer," hissed Laki, her eyes blazing.

"Simon…" said Erza, her expression troubled.

"It's all right," Jellal whispered. "He can't hurt us here." But Jellal froze as he read the headline. "Tear, come have a look at this," he said sharply.

Ultear joined the group, her arms crossed over her chest. "I can't believe it," said Ultear.

"He's the new Council Fourth," said Jellal. "Looks like he won the election easily after he 'crushed the Resistance movement,'" commented Jellal.

Even though Jellal wanted nothing to do with the New Council, he couldn't honestly say that it didn't bother him that Simon had taken his seat. Or that he had executed Jellal's plan to perfection.

"That fool," snapped Ultear. She scowled down at the picture of Simon's grinning face. "It figures someone like him would turn this debacle into a run for office."

"It's no more than you or I would have done. But look at this," said Jellal, pointing at the body of the article.

" _'The Resistance has been crushed and the wizards destroyed,'_ " read Ultear. " _'Thanks to my efforts on the Task Force, they will trouble us no further.'_ What does he think he's talking about?"

"He kept his promise," said Erza quietly. Jellal felt her fingers thread through his.

"It seems so," said Jellal.

"What promise?" demanded Ultear.

Erza held Jellal's gaze, nodding. Then she turned to address the group. "I don't think the Task Force will be coming after us anymore."

"As long as we stay in Bosco, we should be safe. Anyone who tries to seek refuge here should have little trouble leaving the country as well," said Jellal. "By declaring the defeat of the Resistance, Simon's all but guaranteed our safety."

"Do you really trust him?" asked Ultear.

"He's a good man," said Erza softly.

Ultear snorted.

"Simon's many things, but he is a man of his word," said Jellal.

"Can you be sure of that?" asked Ultear.

"I think so," said Erza. "I think we're safe."

"So, it's over, then," said Laki. "Finally."

"I hope you're right," said Ultear. She went to find her brothers to share the news. Even she had found her place, and Jellal was glad for her.

"Jellal?" asked Erza.

"Hmm?"

"Is it bad that I'm glad things worked out the way it did?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I know that we lost a lot because of… what happened in Fiore. But if things were different, we would never have found each other."

Jellal tucked his chin against the top of her head. "When you say it that way, I'm glad too."

His fingers traced the familiar scar that crossed his left eye, the one that he no longer hid.

None of the guild wizards were unscathed by what happened in Fiore. And they would all continue to bear the scars for years to come.

But they had each other. And they had their freedom.

And that was reason to rejoice.

* * *

 **So that's a wrap!** **It's been a total blast for me and I hope you enjoyed it too! If you did, I'd be honored if you'd consider leaving a comment or a fave. :) It'll help others who may enjoy this story to find it.**

 **What's up next?**

 **Let's talk future stories. Next up, we a long-fic entitled** _As You Wish._ **Yes, this is a re-do of The Princess Bride! Ten points to anyone who guessed it; five if you had to ask Dr. Google. Inconceivable! XD). This one features Gray as Westley and Lucy plays the role of Princess Buttercup. It's my first-ever Graylu story. Normally, I use them as a convenient stepping stone to Nalu or something, but I wanted to give them a serious try. I'm excited to see what you guys think. I'll be ready to start sharing that one towards the end of October. Stop by then, if you're interested - or you can follow my group ( _R011ingThunder_ ) to make sure you won't miss an update.**

 **In the meantime, there is another option for those who are looking for more romance, drama, angst, heartbreak and fun from me. I'm still doing weekly uploads of my other long-running series** ** _Mazeverse_ ****on Fridays. For those who haven't heard of it, I threw together a handful of theories, observations and a couple of what-ifs and weave them together into a universe where I purposely take us in a different direction than canon. For those who can't stomach the thought of non-canon pairings, this may not be your cup of tea. For those who occasionally like their pairs rare and served with a side of crazy, I'd be honored if you'd join me there!  
**

 **Until next time! - Karine**


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